NBA6 hours ago2 minute read

Rockets Trap Kyrie Irving as Dallas Drops Season Opener

Houston rolled to a 128-110 win over Dallas, swarming Kyrie Irving and building a massive lead in the second quarter.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

Houston swarms Kyrie from the opening tip

Dusty May had a rough start to his NBA coaching career on Wednesday night at Toyota Center. The Houston Rockets blew past the Dallas Mavericks in a 128-110 win, jumping out to a 32 point lead at halftime. That was the largest halftime deficit for any head coach in his first game with a team in NBA history.

Houston focused its defense on stopping Kyrie Irving, who was playing his first regular season game since suffering a knee injury in March 2025. Rockets star Kevin Durant explained that the plan was to trap Irving, noting that he had been out for 600 days. Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 30 points each.

Irving played 24 minutes as Dallas slowly increases his playing time. He finished with 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting, but had only four points and three turnovers in the first half.

Second quarter breakdown sinks Dallas

Dallas fell apart in the second quarter, getting outscored 38-12. The Mavericks struggled badly from the floor, making just 4 of 19 shots and missing all 14 of their three point attempts. They also turned the ball over twice as often as they made a basket.

Transition defense was another major issue for the Mavericks, who gave up 20 fast break points in the first half alone. May admitted his squad lost its composure and let go of its principles during that stretch.

Cooper Flagg provided a bright spot by scoring a game high 32 points, getting 23 of them in the second half. Still, Flagg noted after the game that the team lacked communication and had nobody setting the tone on defense.

What it means for the next game

Dallas Mavericks at Indiana Pacers (NBA, Fri, 23 Oct): Indiana Pacers win 62%, Dallas Mavericks win 38%; projected score Indiana Pacers 119, Dallas Mavericks 116. Our safest pick: Mavericks +13.5.

Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (NBA, Sat, 24 Oct): San Antonio Spurs win 70%, Houston Rockets win 30%; projected score San Antonio Spurs 116, Houston Rockets 110. Our safest pick: Spurs to win.