Jalen Green takes over late as the Rockets upset the defending West champions in Dallas

On By Littum

In the final game of a three-game Western Conference road trip, Houston Rockets had one of their most satisfying wins in some time with Thursday’s 108-102 road victory (box score) over the defending Western champion Dallas Mavericks.

Houston and Dallas are now both 3-2 in the young regular season as the 2024-25 NBA calendar shifts to November.

Green finished with a team-high 23 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. He connected on 9-of-21 shots (42.9%) and 3-of-8 from 3-point range (37.5%), including a dagger 3-pointer in the game’s final minute to seal the victory. In all, Green scored nearly half of his points (11) in a decisive fourth quarter.

Superstar guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led the Mavs with 29 and 28 points, respectively, and they combined to make an efficient 22-of-45 shooting (48.9%). After trailing by as many as 23 points in the third quarter, hot shooting from the longtime All-Star duo allowed the Mavericks to close the deficit to as little as one possession late in the fourth quarter.

But as was the case Monday in San Antonio, Green made enough plays late to put the game away and secure a winning road trip.

Statistically, other standouts for the Rockets included:

  • Alperen Sengun: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists; 5-of-16 shooting (31.3%), 7-of-9 free throws (77.8%)

  • Dillon Brooks: 17 points, 4 rebounds; 6-of-15 shooting (40.0%), 2-of-9 on 3-pointers (22.2%)

  • Jabari Smith Jr.: 14 points, 6 rebounds; 5-of-10 shooting (50.0%), 3-of-4 free throws (75.0%)

  • Tari Eason: 15 points, 4 rebounds in 19 minutes; 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), 1-of-2 on 3-pointers (50.0%)

  • Amen Thompson: 10 points, 4 rebounds in 18 minutes; 4-of-5 shooting (80.0%)

The Rockets outrebounded the Mavericks, 50-37, including a commanding 18-10 advantage on the offensive glass. Game highlights from Halloween night are available below.

With its road trip complete, Houston will now begin a three-game homestand when West rival Golden State visits the Toyota Center on Saturday. Tipoff of Rockets-Warriors is at 7:00 PM Central.

More: Podcast: Evaluation of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and the Rockets through four games

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Jalen Green lifts the Rockets in Dallas over the reigning West champions