Rockets Look to Stay Unbeaten as Flagg's Mavericks Seek Answers

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Houston's 3-0 start and an opening win over Dallas make the Rockets the side to beat in this rematch.

HOU @ DAL Oct 31, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC

Houston arrives at 3-0, atop the Western Conference and healthy. The Rockets also beat Dallas 128-110 in the opener, and that result shapes this rematch. Dallas has had time to study that game, but it has to fix problems on the floor with a rotation that keeps getting thinner.

The biggest variable is Kyrie Irving's knee. The questionable tag in recent coverage was tied to the Thunder game, so his status for this one should be treated as unsettled. Even so, knee management means his minutes are something to watch. If Dallas has to ease him through the game, Cooper Flagg will carry even more of the creation load. Flagg came back from a brief absence with 29 points and 11 assists, and that kind of production is what the Mavericks need to hang with Houston. His shoulder sprain history is a reminder of how much rides on his health.

Dallas is 2-2 after a 113-109 win over Miami, so there is something to build on under new coach Dusty May. The organization overhauled its front office, coaching staff and much of the roster, and that kind of reset can leave a team uneven early in the season. The frontcourt is also short. Dereck Lively II is out after foot surgery, and Marshall and Martin were listed as questionable. Fewer bodies make it harder to absorb foul trouble or match Houston's depth.

I expect Flagg and Irving, if he plays, to keep Dallas competitive for stretches at home. Houston's health and its earlier win give it a clearer path, though, and the Rockets should be steadier over four quarters. Prediction: Rockets 117, Mavericks 108.

All game reports