Mavericks turn second-quarter surge into 132-115 win over Rockets

A nine-minute swing before halftime

Houston had the sharper start and led by as many as seven in the opening quarter, with Marcus Smart and Reed Sheppard supplying the early perimeter threat. The Rockets were still in front 31-28 after Amen Thompson's pull-up jumper with 10:37 left in the second, and the game had already moved through 12 lead changes. At that stage, Dallas looked busy but not yet settled.

The tone changed quickly. P.J. Washington tied the game from deep at 9:51 of the second quarter, Naji Marshall finished at the rim 29 seconds later, and Dallas began stacking productive possessions without forcing the action. Washington dunked off a Cooper Flagg assist, Kyrie Irving added a layup, and by the time Sergio de Larrea drilled a three at 4:34, the Mavericks were in full control of the middle stretch.

That run grew into the defining burst of the night. From Houston's 31-28 edge to Daniel Gafford's three-point play at 4:05, Dallas ripped off a 21-3 surge and built a 49-34 lead. It was not one player hijacking the game; it was wave after wave. Irving finished as Dallas's top scorer with 17 points, Risacher added 16, and four more Mavericks reached 14 or better. Flagg's line was especially useful in that stretch and beyond: 14 points, seven assists and enough composure to keep the ball moving to the next advantage.

Houston's third-quarter push met a quick rebuttal

The Rockets had every chance to turn the game after halftime, and for a while they did. Smart opened the third with a free throw, Sheppard buried a three three seconds later, and Jabari Smith Jr. followed with a fadeaway to trim Dallas's lead to a single point at 58-57. Thompson then hit from long range at 8:38 to put Houston ahead 66-64, and another Smart three at 7:04 made it 72-71. For a team chasing all evening, that was the clearest opening.

Dallas answered with the sort of composure that separates a good offensive night from a loose one. Max Christie hit a three at 10:43 and another from distance later in the quarter, Risacher answered immediately after Smart's 7:04 make with a three of his own at 6:55, and Marshall stitched together five straight points when the score tightened again. After Isaiah Crawford tied it 77-77 with 5:32 left in the third, Dallas closed the quarter on an 18-8 run to restore order.

That sequence mattered because it showed how many places the Mavericks could go for scoring. Marshall scored 14 with three steals and two blocks, Christie added 14, and Dallas kept finding timely secondary contributions from its bench and young wings. De Larrea's three in the second quarter had launched one surge; his steady all-around line of nine points, seven rebounds and three assists helped stabilize later possessions as well. By the end of three, Dallas had pushed the margin back to 95-85.

Our take: Houston won the glass, but Dallas won the possessions that counted

Houston's raw rebounding work was real. The Rockets finished with a 50-46 edge on the boards and 21 offensive rebounds, which usually gives a team enough extra chances to stay close or better. The problem was what happened on the other trips. Houston committed 22 total turnovers, and Dallas turned them into 32 points. The Mavericks also led 24-11 in fast-break scoring, moved the ball for 28 assists and reached the line relentlessly, making 35 of 39 free throws.

That is why the Rockets' best individual efforts felt scattered rather than cumulative. Smart scored 20 points and hit four threes, Sheppard added 17 with four more from distance, Thompson produced 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Smith supplied 14 points with nine boards. Oscar Tshiebwe's 10 points in 11 minutes gave Houston another useful lift. Still, the Rockets managed only 18 assists as a team, went 14-for-47 from three and left too many points at the line by shooting 27-for-36 on free throws.

For Dallas, the improvement points are milder but still there. Sixteen turnovers and a first quarter with repeated lead changes kept Houston alive longer than necessary. Even in a 17-point win, that is clutter the Mavericks would rather trim. For Houston, the fixes are clearer: protect the ball better and stay out of foul trouble, because giving away possessions and sending an efficient opponent to the stripe 39 times is too steep a tax. On this night, Dallas built its margin there and never gave it back.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:46

   Kyrie Irving makes two point shot

2. 1st Quarter · 10:29

   Jabari Smith Jr. makes 25-foot running jump shot (Amen Thompson assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 10:00

   Reed Sheppard makes free throw 1 of 3

4. 1st Quarter · 10:00

   Reed Sheppard makes free throw 3 of 3

5. 1st Quarter · 9:47

   P.J. Washington makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kyrie Irving assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 9:36

   Reed Sheppard makes 31-foot three point jumper (Jabari Smith Jr. assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 8:39

   Cooper Flagg makes free throw 1 of 2

8. 1st Quarter · 8:39

   Cooper Flagg makes free throw 2 of 2

9. 1st Quarter · 8:03

   Jabari Smith Jr. makes 19-foot pullup jump shot

10. 1st Quarter · 7:44

    Cooper Flagg makes 1-foot running dunk

11. 1st Quarter · 6:57

    Marcus Smart makes 4-foot two point shot

12. 1st Quarter · 6:08

    Marcus Smart makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jabari Smith Jr. assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 5:47

    Caleb Martin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Zaccharie Risacher assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 5:27

    Marcus Smart makes 21-foot step back jumpshot

15. 1st Quarter · 4:25

    Cooper Flagg makes free throw 2 of 2

16. 1st Quarter · 4:07

    Tari Eason makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot

17. 1st Quarter · 3:49

    Cooper Flagg makes free throw 1 of 2

18. 1st Quarter · 3:49

    Cooper Flagg makes free throw 2 of 2

19. 1st Quarter · 3:24

    Bogdan Bogdanovic makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)

20. 1st Quarter · 2:55

    Kyrie Irving makes 25-foot three point jumper (Dwight Powell assists)

21. 1st Quarter · 2:19

    Max Christie makes 4-foot two point shot

22. 1st Quarter · 1:51

    P.J. Washington makes free throw 1 of 2

23. 1st Quarter · 1:51

    P.J. Washington makes free throw 2 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 1:32

    Tari Eason makes 5-foot two point shot

25. 1st Quarter · 1:16

    Kyrie Irving makes free throw 1 of 2

26. 1st Quarter · 1:16

    Kyrie Irving makes free throw 2 of 2

27. 1st Quarter · 35.0

    Max Christie makes free throw 1 of 2

28. 1st Quarter · 35.0

    Max Christie makes free throw 2 of 2

29. 1st Quarter · 25.9

    Jabari Smith Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)

30. 1st Quarter · 3.5

    Max Christie makes two point shot

31. 2nd Quarter · 11:20

    Tari Eason makes running layup (Amen Thompson assists)

32. 2nd Quarter · 10:37

    Amen Thompson makes 16-foot pullup jump shot

33. 2nd Quarter · 9:51

    P.J. Washington makes 25-foot three point jumper (Cooper Flagg assists)

34. 2nd Quarter · 9:22

    Naji Marshall makes 1-foot running dunk (Kyrie Irving assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 8:57

    P.J. Washington makes 2-foot dunk (Cooper Flagg assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 8:34

    Kyrie Irving makes running layup (Cooper Flagg assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 7:47

    Daniel Gafford makes free throw 1 of 2

38. 2nd Quarter · 7:47

    Daniel Gafford makes free throw 2 of 2

39. 2nd Quarter · 6:45

    Clint Capela makes free throw 1 of 2

40. 2nd Quarter · 6:27

    Clint Capela makes 1-foot dunk (Marcus Smart assists)

41. 2nd Quarter · 6:12

    Naji Marshall makes free throw 1 of 2

42. 2nd Quarter · 6:12

    Naji Marshall makes free throw 2 of 2

43. 2nd Quarter · 5:50

    Zaccharie Risacher makes layup (Caleb Martin assists)

44. 2nd Quarter · 4:34

    Sergio de Larrea makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dwight Powell assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 4:05

    Daniel Gafford makes driving layup (Kyrie Irving assists)

46. 2nd Quarter · 4:05

    Daniel Gafford makes free throw 1 of 1

47. 2nd Quarter · 3:53

    Reed Sheppard makes 23-foot three point jumper (Marcus Smart assists)

48. 2nd Quarter · 3:17

    Marcus Smart makes driving layup

49. 2nd Quarter · 3:17

    Marcus Smart makes free throw 1 of 1

50. 2nd Quarter · 3:04

    Daniel Gafford makes two point shot

51. 2nd Quarter · 2:04

    Daniel Gafford makes 2-foot dunk (Cooper Flagg assists)

52. 2nd Quarter · 1:47

    Amen Thompson makes 1-foot dunk (Marcus Smart assists)

53. 2nd Quarter · 1:35

    Kyrie Irving makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (P.J. Washington assists)

54. 2nd Quarter · 1:13

    Marcus Smart makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jabari Smith Jr. assists)

55. 2nd Quarter · 1:01

    Reed Sheppard makes 1-foot running dunk

56. 2nd Quarter · 46.7

    Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 2

57. 2nd Quarter · 46.7

    Amen Thompson makes free throw 2 of 2

58. 2nd Quarter · 29.4

    Kyrie Irving makes 4-foot two point shot

59. 2nd Quarter · 29.4

    Kyrie Irving makes free throw 1 of 1

60. 2nd Quarter · 0.1

    Jabari Smith Jr. makes tip shot

61. 3rd Quarter · 11:38

    Marcus Smart makes free throw 1 of 2

62. 3rd Quarter · 11:35

    Reed Sheppard makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jabari Smith Jr. assists)

63. 3rd Quarter · 10:56

    Jabari Smith Jr. makes 12-foot fade away jump shot

64. 3rd Quarter · 10:43

    Max Christie makes 24-foot three point jumper (Cooper Flagg assists)

65. 3rd Quarter · 9:50

    Marcus Smart makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 9:28

    Kyrie Irving makes 27-foot running pullup jump shot (Max Christie assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 9:10

    Reed Sheppard makes technical free throw

68. 3rd Quarter · 8:58

    Clint Capela makes 6-foot two point shot

69. 3rd Quarter · 8:38

    Amen Thompson makes 23-foot three point jumper (Reed Sheppard assists)

70. 3rd Quarter · 8:23

    Zaccharie Risacher makes tip in dunk

71. 3rd Quarter · 7:52

    Max Christie makes free throw 1 of 2

72. 3rd Quarter · 7:52

    Max Christie makes free throw 2 of 2

73. 3rd Quarter · 7:40

    Reed Sheppard makes 30-foot three pointer

74. 3rd Quarter · 7:24

    Cooper Flagg makes 23-foot three point jumper (Zaccharie Risacher assists)

75. 3rd Quarter · 7:04

    Marcus Smart makes 26-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)

76. 3rd Quarter · 6:55

    Zaccharie Risacher makes 25-foot three pointer

77. 3rd Quarter · 6:34

    Jabari Smith Jr. makes 12-foot fade away jump shot

78. 3rd Quarter · 6:20

    Naji Marshall makes free throw 1 of 2

79. 3rd Quarter · 6:16

    Cooper Flagg makes two point shot

80. 3rd Quarter · 5:32

    Isaiah Crawford makes 23-foot three point jumper (Marcus Smart assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 5:12

    Naji Marshall makes 23-foot three point jumper (Cooper Flagg assists)

82. 3rd Quarter · 4:33

    Naji Marshall makes 15-foot pullup jump shot (Cooper Flagg assists)

83. 3rd Quarter · 4:12

    Cooper Flagg makes free throw 1 of 2

84. 3rd Quarter · 4:12

    Cooper Flagg makes free throw 2 of 2

85. 3rd Quarter · 4:00

    Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 2

86. 3rd Quarter · 4:00

    Amen Thompson makes free throw 2 of 2

87. 3rd Quarter · 3:42

    Sergio de Larrea makes free throw 1 of 2

88. 3rd Quarter · 3:42

    Sergio de Larrea makes free throw 2 of 2

89. 3rd Quarter · 2:56

    Dwight Powell makes 3-foot layup (Caleb Martin assists)

90. 3rd Quarter · 2:56

    Dwight Powell makes free throw 1 of 1

91. 3rd Quarter · 2:38

    Max Christie makes 24-foot running jump shot (Tarik Biberovic assists)

92. 3rd Quarter · 1:52

    Tari Eason makes free throw 1 of 3

93. 3rd Quarter · 1:52

    Tari Eason makes free throw 2 of 3

94. 3rd Quarter · 1:52

    Tari Eason makes free throw 3 of 3

95. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Tarik Biberovic makes 24-foot running jump shot (Caleb Martin assists)

96. 3rd Quarter · 54.7

    Amen Thompson makes 2-foot driving dunk

97. 3rd Quarter · 4.0

    Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 2

98. 4th Quarter · 11:16

    Naji Marshall makes free throw 1 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 11:16

    Naji Marshall makes free throw 2 of 2

100. 4th Quarter · 11:00

     Bruce Thornton makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot

101. 4th Quarter · 10:46

     Bogdan Bogdanovic makes free throw 1 of 1

102. 4th Quarter · 10:38

     Bogdan Bogdanovic makes 24-foot three point jumper (Oscar Tshiebwe assists)

103. 4th Quarter · 10:23

     Naji Marshall makes 1-foot two point shot

104. 4th Quarter · 10:12

     Bruce Thornton makes 4-foot two point shot

105. 4th Quarter · 9:43

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes free throw 1 of 2

106. 4th Quarter · 9:31

     Zaccharie Risacher makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jett Howard assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 8:58

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes two point shot

108. 4th Quarter · 8:43

     Zaccharie Risacher makes tip in dunk

109. 4th Quarter · 8:31

     Isaiah Crawford makes free throw 2 of 2

110. 4th Quarter · 8:12

     Zaccharie Risacher makes 1-foot reverse dunk (Sergio de Larrea assists)

111. 4th Quarter · 7:58

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes layup (Quadir Copeland assists)

112. 4th Quarter · 7:41

     Moussa Cisse makes free throw 2 of 2

113. 4th Quarter · 6:55

     Bruce Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

114. 4th Quarter · 6:55

     Bruce Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

115. 4th Quarter · 6:41

     Moussa Cisse makes free throw 1 of 2

116. 4th Quarter · 6:41

     Moussa Cisse makes free throw 2 of 2

117. 4th Quarter · 6:30

     Isaiah Crawford makes free throw 1 of 2

118. 4th Quarter · 6:30

     Isaiah Crawford makes free throw 2 of 2

119. 4th Quarter · 6:13

     Zaccharie Risacher makes 10-foot two point shot (Seth Lundy assists)

120. 4th Quarter · 5:43

     Tarik Biberovic makes 25-foot three pointer (Moussa Cisse assists)

121. 4th Quarter · 5:24

     Quadir Copeland makes driving layup

122. 4th Quarter · 4:47

     Sergio de Larrea makes two point shot (Tobi Lawal assists)

123. 4th Quarter · 4:32

     Tobi Lawal makes free throw 1 of 2

124. 4th Quarter · 4:32

     Tobi Lawal makes free throw 2 of 2

125. 4th Quarter · 4:02

     Seth Lundy makes 25-foot running jump shot (Sergio de Larrea assists)

126. 4th Quarter · 3:43

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes 1-foot layup (Quadir Copeland assists)

127. 4th Quarter · 3:16

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes free throw 1 of 2

128. 4th Quarter · 3:16

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes free throw 2 of 2

129. 4th Quarter · 2:49

     Jett Howard makes two point shot

130. 4th Quarter · 2:43

     Bruce Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

131. 4th Quarter · 1:58

     Tobi Lawal makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Sergio de Larrea assists)

132. 4th Quarter · 1:26

     Sergio de Larrea makes two point shot

133. 4th Quarter · 1:20

     Bruce Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

134. 4th Quarter · 1:20

     Bruce Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

135. 4th Quarter · 1:10

     Jett Howard makes free throw 1 of 2

136. 4th Quarter · 1:10

     Jett Howard makes free throw 2 of 2

137. 4th Quarter · 1:01

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes free throw 2 of 2

138. 4th Quarter · 55.3

     Tobi Lawal makes free throw 1 of 2

139. 4th Quarter · 23.2

     Tarik Biberovic makes running layup (Sergio de Larrea assists)

140. 4th Quarter · 6.3

     Oscar Tshiebwe makes 10-foot floating jump shot (Sean Pedulla assists)