**Dallas Mavericks bounced back after Friday’s Game 1, defeating the Houston Rockets 132–115 at Venetian Arena to secure a split in the two-game NBA China exhibition series.**
The Dallas Mavericks bounced back from their preseason-opening loss with a 132–115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday evening at Venetian Arena in Macau, securing a split in the two-game NBA China exhibition series.
After surrendering 135 points in Friday’s opener, Dallas found its offensive rhythm and tightened up its second-half defence to level the exhibition slate.
The highlight of the night came in the return of star guard Kyrie Irving, taking the floor for his first action in over 19 months after missing the entire 2025–26 campaign with a torn ACL. Irving showed little ring rust, posting 17 points and three assists, while sophomore forward Cooper Flagg added a versatile 14 points and seven assists.
Houston briefly surged ahead in the third quarter, but the Mavericks forced a series of turnover-led transition buckets to reclaim the momentum. Dallas carried a 95–85 cushion into the final frame and held off the Rockets down the stretch.
Dallas sank 15 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc (37.5 per cent), displaying encouraging perimeter execution