DALLAS — The Houston Rockets made an early-season statement Friday night, riding a balanced offensive attack and a decisive third-quarter surge to a 135-117 road win over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

The Rockets never trailed after the opening minutes, leading by as many as 24 points and answering every Dallas rally with timely shot-making. The victory improves Houston to 3-0 on the young 2026-27 season, while Dallas drops to 1-2 after a second straight home loss.

Match Overview

Houston came out firing, scoring 34 points in the first quarter and shooting better than 50 percent from the field for most of the night. The Rockets took a 67-58 lead into halftime, then blew the game open with a dominant third quarter. Dallas managed to win the fourth quarter by a single point, but the outcome was never in doubt over the final eight minutes.

• First quarter: Houston 34, Dallas 27
• Second quarter: Houston 33, Dallas 31
• Halftime: Houston 67, Dallas 58
• Third quarter: Houston 36, Dallas 28
• Fourth quarter: Houston 32, Dallas 31
• Final: Houston Rockets 135, Dallas Mavericks 117

Key Moments

The game’s turning point arrived early in the third quarter. Leading 70-60, Houston ripped off a 14-2 run over a three-minute stretch, capped by a Kevin Durant pull-up three from the top of the key. That burst pushed the lead to 84-62 and forced Dallas head coach Jason Kidd to burn two timeouts in quick succession.

Dallas showed signs of life midway through the fourth, cutting the deficit to 112-101 on a Cooper Flagg transition dunk. But Houston answered immediately with a 10-0 run of its own, sparked by back-to-back corner threes from Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. The Mavericks never threatened again.

Standout Performers

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting, adding 7 rebounds and 5 assists. The 38-year-old forward was particularly effective in isolation, repeatedly exploiting mismatches against smaller Dallas defenders.

Alperen Şengün was dominant inside, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists — one assist shy of a triple-double. His passing out of the post repeatedly freed Houston’s shooters for open looks.

Jalen Green added 22 points, while Fred VanVleet controlled the tempo with 15 points and 11 assists. The Rockets finished with 32 assists on 48 made field goals.

For Dallas, Anthony Davis led the way with 29 points and 11 rebounds, but he battled foul trouble in the third quarter and was limited to just 6 minutes in that frame. Rookie Cooper Flagg continued his impressive start with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kyrie Irving added 19 points and 7 assists, though he shot just 7-of-19 from the field.

Tactical Breakdown

Houston’s offense was built on pace and spacing. The Rockets pushed the ball after every Dallas miss, generating 22 fast-break points, and they shot 19-of-42 from three-point range (45.2 percent). Şengün’s ability to handle the ball in transition allowed Houston to play five-out basketball without sacrificing interior scoring.

Defensively, the Rockets crowded Irving and Davis, forcing Dallas into 16 turnovers that led to 24 Houston points. The Mavericks shot just 11-of-32 from beyond the arc (34.4 percent) and struggled to contain Houston’s dribble-handoff actions, which repeatedly freed Durant and Green for clean mid-range looks.

Dallas’s bench was outscored 38-24, a significant margin in a game where the starters kept things competitive for three quarters. The Mavericks also lost the rebounding battle 48-41, with Şengün and Tari Eason combining for 20 boards.

What It Means

Houston’s 3-0 start reinforces its status as a legitimate Western Conference contender. The Rockets have won their first three games by an average of 14.3 points, with Durant, Şengün, and Green forming one of the league’s most versatile scoring trios. Their half-court execution and defensive length make them a difficult matchup for any team.

Dallas, meanwhile, remains a work in progress. The Mavericks are still integrating Flagg into a veteran core, and their perimeter defense has been a clear weakness through three games. Davis and Irving have been productive, but the supporting cast has yet to find consistent rhythm. A 1-2 start is far from panic territory, but the Western Conference is unforgiving.

Up next: Houston returns home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, while Dallas hits the road for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.