The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 on Friday evening at The Venetian Arena in Macau, claiming victory in the first of two NBA preseason exhibition games held in the SAR.
Turkish centre Alperen Şengün anchored Houston’s dominant display, registering a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Point guard Fred VanVleet added 17 points in his first competitive action since the 2025 playoffs, having missed the entire 2025–26 campaign following off-season knee surgery.
Off the bench, forward Tari Eason led the Rockets with 20 points and 10 rebounds, strengthening his case for a primary reserve role under head coach Ime Udoka ahead of the regular season.
Dallas was led by second-year forward Cooper Flagg, who recorded 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 7-of-14 shooting from the field.
The Mavericks rested several projected starters, including Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II. Forward Naji Marshall contributed 14 points, while former overall top draft pick Zaccharie Risacher—acquired from the Atlanta Hawks during the summer off-season—posted nine points and eight rebounds in his debut appearance for Dallas.
The two teams will meet again at The Venetian Arena on Sunday for the second and final leg of the Macau exhibition series.