Tari Eason's 20 points help Rockets pull away from Mavericks, 135-117

Rockets set the tone

Tari Eason scored 20 points, and the Houston Rockets opened their season with a 135-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at Venetian Arena. Houston, the visiting team, established control early and carried a 65-45 advantage into halftime.

Alperen Sengun contributed 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Rockets. Fred VanVleet opened the scoring with a 25-foot 3-pointer and followed with two more early baskets, helping Houston move in front 9-0. The Rockets finished the first quarter with a 27-19 lead.

Houston builds its cushion

Houston extended the margin during a 38-point second quarter. Dallas scored the first four points of the period through Cooper Flagg, including a dunk, but the Rockets answered with a sustained run. The Mavericks did not close the gap before halftime, and Houston went to the locker room ahead 65-45.

Flagg led Dallas with 19 points. Dwight Powell had eight assists, while Zaccharie Risacher collected eight rebounds. Dallas also received a three-point basket from Max Christie during the opening quarter and a three from Morez Johnson Jr. before halftime, but the Mavericks remained behind after two periods.

Mavericks make a late push

Dallas outscored Houston 35-34 in the third quarter, with Flagg, Naji Marshall, Max Christie and Zaccharie Risacher contributing to the offense. Houston still held a 99-80 lead entering the final period after Reed Sheppard made three 3-pointers in the third quarter and Eason added a dunk.

The Mavericks scored 37 points in the fourth quarter, one more than Houston’s 36, but the deficit remained too large to overcome. Houston reached 135 points on a 23-foot 3-pointer by Bruce Thornton, and Sergio de Larrea closed the scoring with a layup for Dallas.

Records

The game was played before an attendance of 11,564 at Venetian Arena. Dallas fell to 0-1, while Houston moved to 1-0.

Sources

ESPN