Houston’s 31-point second quarter erased Dallas’ early edge and sent the unbeaten Rockets into halftime up 51-44.
Dallas owned the opening quarter 27-20, but Houston answered with a 31-17 second to take a 51-44 halftime lead. The seven-point swing puts the 5-0 Rockets, No. 1 in the power index, ahead of 3-2 Dallas, ranked 12th. Cooper Flagg has delivered 15 points and seven rebounds for the Mavericks, while Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. leads with 13 points and Amen Thompson has added 10 points and four assists. After the break, watch whether Dallas can restore its first-quarter pace and whether Houston can keep its second-quarter surge going.
Key Performers
Cooper Flagg (Dallas): 15 points, 7 rebounds Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston): 13 points Amen Thompson (Houston): 10 points, 4 assists