Marcus Smart Scores 20, but Mavericks Beat Rockets 132-115

Rockets Start Close

Marcus Smart scored 20 points for the Houston Rockets, but Dallas Mavericks pulled away for a 132-115 victory Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, at Venetian Arena. Houston was outscored in every quarter and fell to 1-1, while Dallas also moved to 1-1.

The Rockets opened at home with a 27-point first quarter, narrowly trailing Dallas 28-27 after 12 minutes. Smart connected on several early shots, including two 3-pointers in the opening period. Jabari Smith Jr. added nine rebounds for Houston, while Amen Thompson finished with six assists.

Dallas Builds Its Lead

Dallas created separation in the second quarter, scoring 30 points while holding Houston to 24. The Mavericks went into halftime ahead 58-51. Kyrie Irving scored 17 points for Dallas, and Cooper Flagg supplied seven assists.

Houston’s offense stayed active after the break, but the Rockets could not close the gap. Dallas scored 37 points in the third quarter, three more than Houston, and carried an 95-85 advantage into the final period. The Mavericks answered Houston’s scoring bursts with baskets from multiple players during the quarter.

Fourth-Quarter Finish

The Rockets scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, but Dallas matched its third-quarter output with another 37-point period. The Mavericks extended the margin during the final frame and closed out the 17-point win.

Sergio de Larrea recorded seven rebounds for Dallas. Houston received additional scoring from several players during the game, while Smart remained the Rockets’ listed scoring standout with 20 points.

Records and Venue

The result left both teams at 1-1. Dallas finished with 132 points to Houston’s 115, matching the quarter-by-quarter totals of 28-27, 30-24, 37-34 and 37-30 in the Mavericks’ favor. The announced attendance at Venetian Arena was 11,711.

Sources

ESPN