Tari Eason scores 20 as Rockets pull away from Mavericks, 135-117

Houston creates separation

Tari Eason scored 20 points, and the Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 Friday at Venetian Arena. Houston’s second-quarter surge was the game’s turning point, as the visiting Rockets outscored Dallas 38-26 to take a 65-45 halftime lead.

The Rockets entered the break with a 20-point advantage after leading 27-19 through the opening quarter. Houston added another 34 points in the third quarter, while Dallas scored 35, leaving the Rockets ahead 99-80 entering the fourth. The Mavericks scored 37 in the final period, but Houston added 36 to preserve the 18-point victory.

Eason leads Houston

Eason finished with Houston’s top scoring total among the listed performers, while Alperen Sengun provided 10 assists and collected 10 rebounds. Houston also received scoring contributions from Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason in the scoring sequence.

The Rockets built their early advantage behind a 9-0 opening stretch. Fred VanVleet made three consecutive shots to start the game, including three-pointers on the first and third possessions listed. Houston later extended its lead during the second quarter, reaching a 32-point advantage at 65-33 before Dallas closed the half with two points.

Dallas leaders and records

Cooper Flagg led Dallas among the listed scoring performers with 19 points. Dwight Powell had eight assists, and Zaccharie Risacher recorded eight rebounds. Max Christie, Naji Marshall, Sergio de Larrea, Tarik Biberovic, Jett Howard and Tobi Lawal also appeared in Dallas’ scoring plays.

The game was played before an attendance of 11,564 at Venetian Arena, where Dallas was the home team. After the game, the Rockets moved to 1-0, while the Mavericks fell to 0-1.

Sources

ESPN