In the season opener on Oct. 21, 2026, the Dallas Mavericks fell 128-110 to the Houston Rockets, marking a 0-1 start. Coach Dusty May blamed a disastrous second quarter—poor transition defense and lost composure—for the loss, noting the Rockets “outworked” them. Rookie Cooper Flagg sparked a comeback, scoring 23 of his 32 points in the second half and shooting 11‑of‑13 from the line. Reserve guard Marcus Sasser also performed well. May highlighted communication lapses and the need to tighten up on fast‑break coverage against stars Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr., while praising the first‑unit’s effort despite the defeat.
The Dallas Mavericks struggled mightily from downtown in their opening game versus the Houston Rockets, and they can only hope they improve from last year.
JJ Redick admitted that a simple $500 fine system had inadvertently helped instill confidence in Luka Doncic's ability to knock down half-court shots.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were completely in favor of Yaxel Lendeborg jawing with Luka Doncic during Wednesday night's game.
The Houston Rockets open the 2026 season with a dominant 128-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Toyota Center. Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each pour in 30 points, propelling Houston to a 70-38 halftime lead. Alperen Şengün adds a double‑double (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Fred VanVleet dishes out 11 assists. Dallas' Cooper Flagg tops the Mavs with 32 points, but the Rockets control the game with 53% shooting, 16‑of‑36 from three, and a 42‑33 rebounding edge. The Rockets’ next test comes Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs.
Walter Clayton Jr. is joining the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this week, according to Mike Curtis. Clayton was already on the floor with Dallas on Wednesday, October 21, following the agreement. Mavericks head coach Dusty May also discussed his longstanding connection with the guard, who […]
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The Houston Rockets leaned on the prolific scoring of Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. to dispose of the Dallas Mavericks, 128-110, in their season opener at Toyota Center on Wednesday. Durant had 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting, six rebounds, and three assists, while Smith added 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-8 from long […]
The post Rockets’ Kevin Durant hilariously drops mic on Jabari Smith Jr.’s big night appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 30 points apiece as the Houston Rockets opened the 2026-27 NBA season with a 128-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Houston broke the game open with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Dallas 38-12 to take a 32-point halftime lead at Toyota Center. The Rockets led […]
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Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg blamed poor organization and defensive lapses for Dallas' 18‑point loss to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 22, 2026, the team's season‑opening defeat under new head coach Dusty May. Flagg said the Mavericks went "stagnant" as Houston accelerated the pace, failed to get back in transition, and broke habits, allowing the Rockets—highlighted by a standout dunk from Kevin Durant over Flagg—to seize momentum. He stressed that the trouble went beyond missed shots, calling for better offensive structure and disciplined transition defense before the next game.
The Houston Rockets dominate the Dallas Mavericks 128-110 in the season opener, building a 32‑point halftime lead after outscoring Dallas 38‑12 in the second quarter. Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg sets an NBA record for a teen with 32 points, while Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each add 30 for Houston. Kyrie Irving returns after a torn ACL, contributing 15 points, and Fred VanVleet records 11 assists in his comeback. Dallas struggles, shooting 4‑of‑19 in the second period and missing all 14 three‑point attempts, resulting in eight turnovers. Coach Dusty May cites missed breaks and loss of composure as key factors in the loss.
Grizzlies The Grizzlies handed Ty Jerome the starting point guard job. He opened the season by scoring a career-high 45 points. Jerome powered Memphis to a 123-103 win over the Jazz on Wednesday, giving the Grizzlies an emphatic first look at their new lead guard. He scored 19 points before halftime and later passed the […]
The post NBA Notes: Grizzlies, Ty Jerome, Mavericks, Cooper Flagg, Bucks appeared first on Hoops Wire .
Luka Doncic has been burnt by his beloved franchise before, but he’s hoping this time will be different. Doncic admitted he hopes to finish his NBA career with the Lakers, despite never expecting to leave Dallas. “Hopefully, yeah,” Doncic told the California Post. “But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s […]
The post Luka Doncic Gets Honest About Finishing Career With Lakers appeared first on Basketball Forever .
The Dallas Mavericks stumble 128-110 to the Houston Rockets on opening night, with a chaotic second quarter and endless lineup swaps. Kyrie Irving returns from a torn ACL, posting 15 points on 6‑of‑9 shooting in 24 minutes and earns an A‑ grade for effort. Rookie Cooper Flagg dazzles with a game‑high 32 points (A grade), while Max Christie (C‑), P.J. Washington (C+) and Daniel Gafford (D) receive lukewarm to poor marks for shooting woes and turnovers. Coach Dusty May’s heavy rotations may have disrupted rhythm, leaving the Mavs 0‑1 as they search for cohesion.
The Dallas Mavericks stumble in their season opener, falling 128-110 to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21, 2026. A brutal 38-12 second‑quarter run gave Houston a 37‑point lead that Dallas never overcame. Rockets stars Cooper Flagg (32 points) and Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. (30 each) paced the win, while the Mavericks shot just 30 percent from three (11‑of‑37). Rookie Marcus Sasser shined with 17 points and four triples, accounting for more than a third of Dallas’ made threes. Rebounding also hurt Dallas, as Houston outboards them 44‑33, with veteran center Daniel Gafford grabbing only two rebounds in 22 minutes.
The Houston Rockets dismantled the Dallas Mavericks on both ends of the court as Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. were the main reasons why.
The Dallas Mavericks fall 128-110 to the Houston Rockets in the 2026 season opener, snapping a brief early spark with a 32-26 lead before Houston erupts for a 70-38 halftime advantage. Cooper Flagg shines with a career‑high 32 points, five rebounds and defensive stats, while Kyrie Irving adds 15 and Marcus Sasser 17. Houston’s Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each drop 30, with Alperen Sengun contributing 23 and 10 rebounds. The Rockets shoot 52.2% overall (44.4% from three) versus Dallas’s 33.3% in the first half, sealing a decisive win.
After just one game against the Houston Rockets, it's clear that it's going to take Zaccharie Risacher some time to develop for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite playing hard and crashing the glass, his shooting was nonexistent.
The Houston Rockets looked like a force tonight against the Dallas Mavericks in a dominant 128-110 victory.
Luka Doncic is coming off another dominant season, but Draymond Green believes the Lakers superstar is running out of time to win his first NBA MVP award. The four-time NBA champion made a bold prediction about Doncic’s future during a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, suggesting the 2026–27 campaign could be his final […]
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Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason will probably remember their season opener on Wednesday for the rest of his life—for the wrong reason. The Rockets hosted the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center, welcoming the much-awaited return of Fred VanVleet after a long absence due to an ACL injury. Eason, however, stole the spotlight—sort of—quite early. In […]
The post Rockets’ Tari Eason earns first ejection of new NBA season for shoving PJ Washington appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Tari Eason gets tossed from the first game of the Rockets' season for shoving P.J. Washington.
The Dallas Mavericks ushered in the Dustin May era for the first time on Wednesday. But Cooper Flagg meshing with the ex-Michigan coach wasn’t the only thing on the mind of fans. Kyrie Irving made his return from a torn ACL against the Houston Rockets. Fans got treated to vintage “Uncle Drew” in Irving’s 2026-27 […]
The post Kyrie Irving flashes vintage form on 1st NBA bucket in almost 600 days appeared first on ClutchPoints .
No more internet lobs for now from Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant this time. The Rockets forward is back to business on the court with the 2026-27 NBA season finally here, and he already has a poster dunk. He took off and threw down an emphatic dunk right in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper […]
The post Watch Kevin Durant posterize Cooper Flagg on emphatic slam dunk appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Fred VanVleet made his much-awaited return from his ACL injury on Wednesday, as the Houston Rockets hosted the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. VanVleet reclaimed his spot in the starting unit, joining Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun. It did not take long for the veteran guard to sink his first […]
The post After 535 days away, watch Rockets’ Fred VanVleet nail a 3-pointer vs. Mavericks appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Victor Wembanyama went 1-for-13 while shooting from the field in the Spurs’ season-opening loss against OKC. In fact, he didn’t score a bucket until the last few seconds of the third quarter. He’s also the same player who may be the MVP favorite, so where is he going wrong? In a recent episode of Run […]
The post Victor Wembanyama Urged Not to Follow Jayson Tatum & Luka Doncic After Thunder Loss appeared first on EssentiallySports .