Tari Eason scores 20 as Rockets defeat Mavericks 135-117

Eason leads Houston

Tari Eason scored 20 points, and the Houston Rockets beat the home Mavericks 135-117 on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at Venetian Arena. Houston took control early and carried a 20-point advantage into halftime before the Mavericks trimmed the margin slightly in the second half.

Alperen Sengun contributed 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Rockets. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 19 points, while Dwight Powell had eight assists and Zaccharie Risacher collected eight rebounds.

Rockets establish control

Houston opened the game with a 9-0 run, with Fred VanVleet making three consecutive shots, including a 32-foot running pullup. The Rockets led 27-19 after the first quarter, then expanded the margin in the second.

Houston outscored the Mavericks 38-26 in the second period. Jabari Smith Jr. made two 3-pointers in the quarter and added a tip-in dunk, while Sengun scored on a layup and a dunk during the run. The Rockets took a 65-45 lead into halftime.

Mavericks make a push

The Mavericks answered with their best quarter after halftime, scoring 35 points in the third. Max Christie made three 3-pointers in the period, and Zaccharie Risacher added a 25-foot 3-pointer. Houston still scored 34 points and led 99-80 entering the fourth.

Eason scored on a running dunk, a fadeaway jumper and a 23-foot 3-pointer during the fourth-quarter sequence. Houston also received 3-pointers from Reed Sheppard and Bruce Thornton as the Rockets maintained their cushion. The Mavericks outscored Houston 37-36 in the final period, but the Rockets finished with the 18-point victory.

Records

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

Sources

ESPN