Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May, making his NBA debut on Oct. 21, outlines a game plan to pressure Kevin Durant in the Mavericks' season opener at the Toyota Center. May wants Durant to take tougher shots, work harder on defense, and avoid easy baskets, while stressing the importance of executing against Houston’s frequent switching defenses. The article notes Durant’s career‑scoring rank, his 26.0‑point average last season, and recent exhibition results in Macao where both teams fielded different lineups. The Mavericks and Rockets will meet three more times this season (Oct. 30, Jan. 1, Jan. 31).
The Houston Rockets open the 2026‑27 NBA season at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at 8:30 PM ET. The game airs locally on WFAA/KFAA/Space City Home Network and streams live on Fubo (free trial available). Rockets return point guard Fred VanVleet and add veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović, while guarding Kevin Durant and young star Alperen Şengün. Dallas counts on a healthy Kyrie Irving, Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg (25.2 pts, 7.2 reb, 5.3 ast), plus new pieces Santi Aldama, Max Christie, and recent draft picks. Both teams aim to improve after last season’s disappointments, making this a must‑watch matchup.
The Houston Rockets open the 2026‑27 NBA season against the Dallas Mavericks on October 21 at 7:30 PM CST in the Toyota Center. The game, broadcast on Space City Home Network and streamed via the SB Nation app, features Rockets starters Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün, while the Mavericks line up Kyrie Irving, Zaccharie Risacher, Cooper Flag, P.J. Washington Jr. and Daniel Gafford. Fans can also follow the action on KBME Sports Talk 790 and KLTN 102.9 (español).
The Dallas Mavericks open the 2026-27 season at Houston's Toyota Center on Oct. 21, 7:30 pm CST, facing the Rockets in Game 1 of a quick two‑game series following preseason match‑ups in Macau. Key injuries: Mavericks forward Dereck Lively and center Santi Aldama are listed, with Aldama near return; rookie Tarik Biberović out (heel bursitis) and Caleb Martin sidelined (thumb sprain). Rockets’ Steven Adams is questionable with calf tightness. New two‑way guard Walter Clayton Jr. is active for Dallas. The preview highlights Dallas trying to climb out of the West’s bottom five, while Houston hopes to rebound from a disappointing post‑season.
Dallas Mavericks coach Dusty May stresses physicality and quickness to the ball ahead of the season‑opening clash with the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Oct. 21. May, hired June 23 after winning the 2026 NCAA title with Michigan, points to the Rockets' toughness—highlighted in two recent exhibition games in Macao (Houston 135‑117 on Oct. 9, Dallas 132‑115 on Oct. 11) where Kyrie Irving returned with 17 points. He outlines defensive plans against Kevin Durant (26.0 ppg last season) and emphasizes limiting fouls on jump shooters while navigating Houston’s switching defense. The coach also praises Houston’s roster, noting Marcus Smart’s defense and the versatile big Alperen Şengün.
The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Walter Clayton Jr. to a two-way contract, adding the 2025 first-round pick ahead of their 2026-27 NBA season opener against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the agreement. Clayton was selected 18th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2025 NBA Draft before his draft […]
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The Houston Rockets will sit Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams during the season's back‑to‑back games, according to head coach Ime Udoka. Veteran point guard Marcus Smart, not rookie Reed Sheppard, will fill in for VanVleet, while the team decides who replaces Adams when he rests. Both veterans are returning from major injuries—Adams missed the last 42 regular‑season games after ankle surgery, and VanVleet sat out the entire prior season with a leg issue. The Rockets face 13 back‑to‑back sets, starting with Friday‑Saturday of opening week, making depth a key focus.
The Dallas Mavericks listed rookie wing Jett Howard as questionable for their Oct. 22 season opener against the Houston Rockets due to right calf tightness. Howard, who missed the final two preseason games with illness, had modest contributions in Dallas' two preseason contests versus Houston. The Mavericks also have four confirmed absentees: Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), Tarik Biberović (heel bursitis) and Caleb Martin (thumb sprain). Houston faces its own questions with Steven Adams (calf) and Julian Phillips (illness). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets open the 2026-27 season Wednesday night in Houston, and this one has real stakes baked in. It is Kyrie Irving’s first regular-season game since March 2025, Cooper Flagg’s year-two debut, and a Rockets team that finally looks built to contend. Thus, let’s learn more about the upcoming game. When […]
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Marcus Sasser is set to make his regular‑season debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at Houston’s Toyota Center, the site of his four‑year college career with the Cougars. After missing the first three preseason games with a left adductor injury, Sasser says the arena feels like a "second home" and boosts his confidence. He previously logged 5 points in a 135‑111 loss to Atlanta and feels his body is at its best since the summer. Coach Dusty May praises Sasser’s cutting, shooting and defensive instincts, while Sasser looks to bring fast‑tempo energy against the Rockets in the season opener.
Kyrie Irving makes his long-awaited return to NBA action for the Dallas Mavericks against a Houston Rockets time that will look to win their first opening-day game since 2017. The Mavs are looking to bounce back into playoff contention after a difficult 2025-26 campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Western Conference. The Rockets […]
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Kyrie Irving returns to regular-season action alongside Cooper Flagg as Dallas faces Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets.
Victor Wembanyama, the hot favorite for MVP and DPOY, endures a rough night with a career‑low 7.7% shooting (1‑of‑13) in a Spurs loss to the Thunder, though he still grabs 13 rebounds and blocks six. Chet Holmgren counters with a more physical game, and rookie Aday Mara blocks a dunk. Meanwhile, Isaiah Stewart remains sidelined with an ankle sprain, and the Rockets sit Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams for the season opener, while the Mavericks miss Santi Aldama and Caleb Martin. The Pelicans face early questions about defense and size under new coach Jamahl Mosley, and Zion Williamson’s push to fulfill his superstar expectations continues.
The Dream Shake announces that the new SB Nation app is now live, letting Houston Rockets fans join the community, comment, and post in real time. Available for iOS and Android in North America (with Europe coming soon), the app highlights a game‑chat feature that speeds up comments and notifications during NBA games, plus a merged Feed stream that has already set single‑day commenting records. Whether you want to read traditional articles or dive into live game reactions, the app promises fewer ads and seamless community interaction.
NBA legend Charles Barkley shared a story about his longtime friendship with Michael Jordan, recalling how the Chicago Bulls icon once helped him deal with a disappointing playoff elimination. Barkley revealed that Jordan called him in the middle of the night following a loss during his time with the Houston Rockets and arranged to pick […]
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Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg make their regular‑season debut together as the Dallas Mavericks open the 2026‑27 campaign at the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21. Both former No. 1 picks and Rookie of the Year winners, the 34‑year‑old veteran returned from an ACL tear while the 19‑year‑old sophomore posted a 21‑point rookie season. In two preseason matchups they combined for 44 points against Atlanta and showed complementary versatility, according to coach Dusty May, who praised their “gravity” in transition and highlighted the need to spread the offensive load across the roster. The Mavericks hope to use Irving’s and Flagg’s playmaking to create space and relieve pressure in the 82‑game grind.
The Rockets host the Mavericks in their season opener, a matchup that could break Houston’s 0‑8 streak in opening games dating back to 2017. Both teams are integrating new pieces: Dallas flaunts three recent No. 1 picks—including rookie Zaccharie Risacher—and veteran depth with P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, while Houston adds Fred VanVleet, Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic after a quiet offseason. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CT on Space City Home Network, with the Rockets listed as -8.5 favorites and hoping to snap a nine‑year opening‑night drought before heading to San Antonio for a back‑to‑back.
Second‑year forward Cooper Flagg says the Mavericks must improve after a 1‑3 preseason as they gear up for a season‑opening clash with the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21. Flagg posted a triple‑double (33‑10‑10) in the two Macao games versus Houston and scored 26 points with 12 rebounds in a 135‑111 loss to Atlanta. With Santi Aldama and Dereck Lively II out, coach Dusty May has been experimenting with lineups. Flagg emphasizes matching the Rockets’ physical, rebounding style and learning to mesh with Kyrie Irving, who returns after an ACL tear. Dallas lists Aldama, Lively, Tarik Biberović and Caleb Martin as unavailable for the opener.
Kevin Durant makes a bold statement after media critics deem the Rockets as underdogs.
Dallas opens its season on Oct. 21 against the Houston Rockets, and three fringe players could emerge as the Mavericks' third option behind Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. Former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, now 21 and 6‑8, hopes to find consistency with Dallas after averaging 11.1 points in Atlanta. Guard Marcus Sasser, the 25th pick in 2023, offers shooting and ball‑handling off the bench despite size concerns. A rookie big man also rounds out the trio, aiming to impact the game in ways that don’t show up in the box score. Their performances could shape the rotation early in the season.
Heading into the season, Kevin Durant ranks among the game’s best players. Meanwhile, some are labeling the Houston Rockets as an ‘underdog’ team even with a solid core. A core that includes Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason. But to hear Durant say it, the ‘underdog’ label isn’t based in reality, […]
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The Dallas Mavericks enter their season opener against the Houston Rockets without four key players: Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery) and Caleb Martin (right thumb sprain). Coach Dusty May says Aldama is "getting very close" to returning, while Martin briefly practiced but remains sidelined. Max Christie is fully healthy, and other roster moves include Jett Howard’s illness, Marcus Sasser’s adductor injury, and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. recovering from shin splints. The injuries leave Dallas shorthanded as they aim to start the 2026‑27 campaign on a positive note.
The 2026‑27 NBA season kicks off on October 20 with a slate of games broadcast free on NBC. Tonight’s marquee matchups include Boston vs. Detroit, where the Pistons pull out a 121‑113 win behind Paul George’s 38 points, and the defending champs 76ers open at MSG against the Knicks featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid. Later, the Spurs face the Thunder in a Western Conference showdown. Fans can catch all action on NBC without a cable subscription.
The Dallas Mavericks will be without Tarik Biberovic for their first game against the Houston Rockets as he deals with right heel bursitis, making their shooting look even more concerning than it already does.
Charles Barkley recounts a midnight rescue by Michael Jordan after the Houston Rockets’ season‑ending loss in 2020. Jordan flew his private jet, picked up Barkley and teammate Darrell Walker, and whisked them to a golf outing, a gesture Barkley calls brotherly. The story then traces their fallout over Jordan’s controversial Bobcats hires in 2012, a decade‑long silence, and a recent attempt at reconciliation sparked by former MLB star Vince Coleman, hinting they may soon hit the links together again.