The Houston Rockets absolutely rolled over the Dallas Mavericks Friday morning, bagging a huge 135-117 victory in their preseason opener all the way out in Macao, China. This wasn’t some nail-biter, either. Houston was in command from the jump, shutting down Dallas with a 27-19 lead after the first quarter and stretching it to a dominant 65-45 advantage by halftime. Seriously, they put Dallas in a tough spot heading into the second half.
Sengun’s Monster Night Ignites Rockets Offense
Look, we all know preseason is for getting reps, but some guys just come out swinging. Alperen Sengun was flat out cooking, racking up a ridiculous triple-double with 16 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists. The source even said he looked like the best player on the court at times, and honestly, you can see why. He was everywhere! Tari Eason led the whole squad with 20 points, showing that scoring punch is absolutely there. Then you got Fred VanVleet, our legit playmaker at the helm, who dropped 17 points and dished out 7 assists, nailing 5 triples along the way. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in with 19 points too, proving this offense can spread it around.
KD’s Chill Start and the Early Hustle
And get this, Kevin Durant, a major offensive weapon for us, only put up eight points in limited playing time. But listen, nobody’s sweating that. It’s preseason, right? His presence just adds that star power and experience we need to build chemistry. What’s even better, the Rockets showed they can absolutely function offensively without leaning on KD super heavily, which is a massive development. My only real minor complaint from this first look, though, was seeing Tari and Amen trying to initiate offense, and Amen’s continued lack of handle. It’s early, but that’s something to watch.
This game, even though it’s just preseason, gave us some real insights. Houston showed off its offensive potential and serious depth, while Dallas definitely got some valuable experience for their younger guys. These two squads are facing off again in Macao on Sunday for their second preseason clash. Expect both teams to build on what they learned Friday as they keep grinding to get ready for the 2026-27 NBA season. We’re just getting started, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Dream Shake.
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