Tari Eason scores 20 as Rockets defeat Mavericks 135-117

Tari Eason scored 20 points as the Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at Venetian Arena. Alperen Sengun added 10 assists and 10 rebounds for Houston, which improved to 1-0. Dallas fell to 0-1.

Houston establishes control

The visiting Rockets opened the game with a 27-19 advantage after the first quarter and widened the margin in the second. Houston outscored Dallas 38-26 in that period, taking a 65-45 lead into halftime. Sengun’s playmaking and rebounding helped Houston maintain its early edge, while Eason finished the game as the Rockets’ top scorer.

Mavericks make a late push

Dallas responded with its strongest quarter after halftime, scoring 35 points in the third. Houston still added 34, however, and carried a 99-80 lead into the final period. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 19 points, while Dwight Powell recorded eight assists and Zaccharie Risacher had eight rebounds.

Dallas again outscored Houston in the fourth quarter, 37-36, but the gap remained too large to overcome. The Rockets reached 135 points, and the Mavericks finished with 117. Houston’s final-quarter lead included a 132-115 advantage before the teams traded the last five points, with the Rockets preserving the 18-point result.

Records

The game drew an attendance of 11,564 at Venetian Arena. Houston left with a 1-0 record, while Dallas moved to 0-1 after the home loss.

Sources

ESPN