The Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 116-111 on Friday night at the American Airlines Center, handing Houston its first defeat of the season in the opening NBA Cup group-play meeting between the two West Group A teams, according to Mavs Moneyball. Dallas improved to 4-2, while Houston dropped to 5-1 after entering the night on a five-game winning streak.
Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 35 points and added nine assists, and Cooper Flagg posted 33 points and nine rebounds. Kevin Durant paced Houston with 28 points in the loss.
Why it matters
The result gives Dallas consecutive wins over a Western Conference contender and makes the Mavericks the first team to beat Houston this season, per Mavs Moneyball. It also reverses the tone of the teams' earlier meeting, when Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 30 in a Houston blowout. On Friday, Irving and Flagg outscored that duo on their own, combining for 68 points and hitting 25 of 38 shots from the floor, Mavs Moneyball reports.
For a Dallas team missing several rotation players, the win offers evidence that its two primary scorers can carry the load against elite opposition — and that the group can close out a tight game late.
Irving takes over after halftime
Irving scored 24 of his game-high 35 points in the second half, which Mavs Moneyball described as the engine behind Dallas's success on the night. The outlet noted that the performance looked like a vintage Irving showing even though he is 34 and recently returned from an ACL tear. He also knocked down key free throws in the closing moments, a reminder of the late-game reliability Dallas leans on.
Flagg's night was notable for its aggression. He finished with 33 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block, and he scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, repeatedly getting to his spots against a Houston defense determined to stop him, according to Mavs Moneyball. The outlet reported that Flagg, at 19, is in the middle of an explosive sophomore season and has grown more confident with each game, and that Dallas plays better when he attacks.
Risacher's defense and a short-handed rotation
Zaccharie Risacher contributed 12 points, six rebounds and three assists, but Mavs Moneyball highlighted his defense: three steals and a blocked shot against Houston. The outlet reported that his effort on both ends generates transition chances for Dallas regularly, and that he set a season high by making three of six attempts from beyond the arc without letting earlier poor shooting nights shake his confidence.
Both teams were short-handed. Dallas was without Sergio de Larrea, Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic and Dereck Lively, while Houston did not have Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard or Steven Adams, per Mavs Moneyball.
Dallas hosts the Sacramento Kings on Monday at 7 p.m. CT, with NBA Cup group play continuing on Friday, November 2, according to Mavs Moneyball.
