Tari Eason, Rockets Turn Second-Quarter Surge Into 135-117 Win

The turning point

Tari Eason scored 20 points, and the Houston Rockets used a 38-point second quarter to build a 65-45 halftime advantage in a 135-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. Houston, the visiting team, outscored Dallas 38-26 in the second period after taking a 27-19 lead through the opening quarter.

Houston creates separation

Fred VanVleet opened the game with three consecutive 3-pointers for Houston, which moved ahead 9-0 before Dallas got on the board. The Rockets finished the first quarter with an eight-point lead, then expanded it throughout the second.

Houston’s 38-point period included three 3-pointers from Jabari Smith Jr. and baskets from Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. Dallas received 10 second-quarter points from Cooper Flagg, including two baskets early in the period, but still entered halftime down 20.

Mavericks make a late push

Dallas responded with its best quarter after halftime, scoring 35 points to Houston’s 34. The Mavericks closed the third quarter trailing 99-80, with Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher and Sergio de Larrea among Dallas’ scorers during the period.

The teams moved closer in the fourth, too, as Dallas scored 37 points and Houston scored 36. The Rockets nonetheless maintained control and finished with the 18-point margin. The game was played at Venetian Arena, where attendance was 11,564.

Standouts and records

For Houston, Eason finished with 20 points. Sengun had 10 assists and 10 rebounds. For Dallas, Flagg scored 19 points, Dwight Powell had eight assists and Risacher collected eight rebounds.

The result left Houston with a 1-0 record and Dallas at 0-1.

Sources

ESPN