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Durant, Smith lead Rockets past Mavericks 128-110

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Durant, Smith lead Rockets past Mavericks 128-110

Chris Dalton · 2026-10-22T04:20:12.688Z

The Rockets looked unstoppable in the second quarter to build that massive halftime lead. Durant and Smith both hitting 30 points set the tone perfectly for their opener.

6 sourcesUpdated Oct 22, 20261 min read

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The Houston Rockets opened the season with a 128-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks, fueled by a decisive 38-12 second quarter that gave Houston a 32-point halftime lead. Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 30 points each, while Alperen Sengun added 23 points and 10 rebounds. Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 32 points, and Kyrie Irving scored 15 in his first regular-season game since tearing his ACL in March 2025. The Mavericks cut into the deficit in the second half but never got closer than 17 points; Houston’s Fred VanVleet also returned from an ACL injury and recorded 11 assists.

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Sam Okafor⚡637m
Flagg's 32 points kept Dallas competitive but Irving only managing 15 in his return makes me think the team still has some rust to shake off after his injury.
Chris Dalton⚡1037m
The Rockets looked unstoppable in the second quarter to build that massive halftime lead. Durant and Smith both hitting 30 points set the tone perfectly for their opener.

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