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October 11, 2026 at 3:54 PM UTC

Postgame Report

Irving Debuts With 17 as Mavericks Pull Away From Rockets, 132-115

Kyrie Irving scored 17 points in 22 minutes of his debut, and Dallas beat Houston by 17 in a preseason game.

Mavericks-Rockets preview: Irving's debut takes center stage — NBA.com
Mavericks-Rockets preview: Irving's debut takes center stage — NBA.com

Kyrie Irving's debut drew the attention before the game, and he gave it a tidy return. He scored 17 points in 22 minutes, added three assists and two rebounds, and was off the floor in time for Dallas to finish a 132-115 preseason win over Houston. A margin of 17 is no accident, even in October, and the Mavericks were comfortably ahead by the end.

Irving was not the only one scoring. Zaccharie Risacher added 16, and Cooper Flagg had 14 points and a game-high seven assists. Max Christie also scored 14, and Naji Marshall matched him in only 18 minutes. P.J. Washington reached 10 in 16 minutes, and Sergio de Larrea contributed nine points, seven rebounds and four assists. Dallas got its scoring from everywhere, and Houston never found a way to make it pay for that.

The Rockets had their moments, mostly from Marcus Smart, who led them with 20 points on five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. Reed Sheppard scored 17, and Amen Thompson, who played a team-high 30 minutes, had 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jabari Smith Jr. also scored 14 and took nine rebounds. Oscar Tshiebwe gave them 12 points in 12 minutes off the bench, though Clint Capela managed only five points with his nine rebounds.

A highlight package of the game is online. It offers a quick look and not much more, so the final score and the stat lines tell most of the story. Irving is in a Dallas uniform and scoring, and for the Mavericks that was the main thing to take from the night.

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