HOUSTON, United States, October 21, 2026: Houston did not wait for the second half to make its opening-night statement.
Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 30 points each as the Rockets overwhelmed the Dallas Mavericks 128-110, using a devastating 38-12 second quarter to turn a six-point game into a 32-point halftime lead.
The second quarter ended the competitive phase
Houston led by six after the first quarter. Then the game broke apart.
The Rockets outscored Dallas 38-12 in the second and used a 19-2 run to build a 70-38 halftime advantage. Durant and Smith each had 16 points by the break.
Dallas missed all 14 of its three-point attempts in the second quarter, leaving the Mavericks without the perimeter response needed to slow Houston’s run.
Durant and Smith gave Houston two scoring engines
Durant’s 30 points came alongside another 30 from Smith, while Alperen Sengun added 23 points and 10 rebounds. Amen Thompson contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet recorded 11 assists in his return after missing last season with an ACL injury.
That spread is what made the Rockets difficult to contain. Dallas could not focus solely on Durant because Smith consistently punished single coverage and Sengun kept the interior offense productive.
Cooper Flagg’s 32 points were Dallas’ clear positive
Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with a game-high 32 points. Kyrie Irving scored 15 in his first regular-season appearance since tearing his ACL in March 2025, while Marcus Sasser added 17 off the bench.
Dallas did produce a fourth-quarter response, including a 9-0 run that cut the deficit to 17. Houston immediately answered with an 8-2 burst featuring threes from Durant and VanVleet, ending any realistic comeback chance.
Key performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Durant | Rockets | 30 points |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | Rockets | 30 points |
| Alperen Sengun | Rockets | 23 points, 10 rebounds |
| Fred VanVleet | Rockets | 11 assists |
| Cooper Flagg | Mavericks | 32 points |
| Kyrie Irving | Mavericks | 15 points |
Houston’s ceiling is visible when the offense has this many answers
The Rockets shot 53.4% from the field and created a game in which multiple scorers could punish Dallas. That is exactly the kind of roster flexibility that can translate into a long regular season.
Dallas’ opener was more complicated. Flagg looked ready for a major offensive role, but the Mavericks’ second-quarter collapse showed how quickly the game can get away when perimeter shooting disappears and transition defense breaks down.
Dallas visits Indiana next while Houston faces San Antonio in Austin. TSE will continue tracking both through the NBA section, NBA Hub, offseason analysis and season schedule guide.
Official NBA sources
Game documentation: NBA game page, official box score and official play-by-play.