HOUSTON -- — Alperen Sengun had 23 points, Jalen Green added 22 and the Houston Rockets built a big lead early in the second half and sailed to a 110-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Dillon Brooks had 19 points and Cam Whitmore added 18 to help the Rockets get back on track after dropping two straight.

The Mavericks led by four midway through the second quarter before Houston used a 21-8 run to take a 61-52 lead into halftime. Green made eight points in that stretch and Whitmore added two 3-pointers.

The Rockets then opened the second half with an 11-4 spurt that pushed it to 72-56 with nine minutes left in the third.

Houston was up by 14 entering the fourth and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the quarter.

Kyrie Irving (shoulder), Klay Thompson (illness) and Dereck Lively II (hip) returned after sitting out Monday. But Naji Marshall remained out serving a four-game suspension for his role in a fight against the Suns.

Quentin Grimes led the Mavericks with 17 points off the bench. Thompson and Irving added 16 each.

Takeaways

Mavericks: Lost for the third time in four games playing without Luka Doncic, who strained his calf on Christmas Day. They’ll need to find a way to win without the star, who will be out at least a month.

Rockets: Didn’t miss a beat without the bench scoring of Amen Thompson, who served the first of a two-game suspension for a fight with Miami’s Tyler Herro Sunday night.

Key moment

Houston’s 32-12 run to end the first half and start the second half.

Key stat

Houston’s victory was helped by making 18 of 23 free throws compared to just 8 of 16 by Dallas.

Up next

Both teams are back in action Friday night. Dallas hosts Cleveland, and Houston hosts Boston.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Dereck Lively II vs. Alperen Sengun (Spencer Dinwiddie gains possession)	0	0
11:41	P.J. Washington misses 5-foot two point shot	0	0
11:40	Dereck Lively II offensive rebound	0	0
11:40	Dereck Lively II makes tip shot	0	2
11:18	Dillon Brooks misses 26-foot three point jumper	0	2
11:17	P.J. Washington defensive rebound	0	2
11:03	Kyrie Irving misses 7-foot two point shot	0	2
11:02	Jalen Green defensive rebound	0	2
10:54	Kyrie Irving personal foul	0	2
10:47	Fred VanVleet misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	0	2
10:47	Klay Thompson defensive rebound	0	2
10:39	Dereck Lively II makes 3-foot two point shot (Klay Thompson assists)	0	4
10:23	Jalen Green makes two point shot	2	4
10:04	Kyrie Irving bad pass (Jabari Smith Jr. steals)	2	4
9:53	Kyrie Irving blocks Alperen Sengun 's 6-foot driving layup	2	4
9:52	Rockets offensive team rebound	2	4
9:40	Jabari Smith Jr. bad pass (Kyrie Irving steals)	2	4
9:34	Klay Thompson makes 24-foot three point shot (P.J. Washington assists)	2	7
9:17	Jalen Green misses two point shot	2	7
9:16	P.J. Washington defensive rebound	2	7
9:09	P.J. Washington misses running pullup jump shot	2	7
9:08	Klay Thompson offensive rebound	2	7
9:03	Klay Thompson misses 23-foot three point jumper	2	7
9:02	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	2	7
8:55	P.J. Washington shooting foul	2	7
8:55	Fred VanVleet makes free throw 1 of 2	3	7
8:55	Fred VanVleet makes free throw 2 of 2	4	7
8:41	P.J. Washington makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot (Spencer Dinwiddie assists)	4	9
8:29	Dereck Lively II defensive 3-seconds (technical foul)	4	9
8:29	Fred VanVleet makes technical free throw	5	9
8:25	Klay Thompson shooting foul	5	9
8:25	Jabari Smith Jr. misses free throw 1 of 2	5	9
8:25	Rockets offensive team rebound	5	9
8:25	Jabari Smith Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2	6	9
8:05	Klay Thompson makes 25-foot three pointer (Dereck Lively II assists)	6	12
7:52	Jabari Smith Jr. misses 22-foot three point jumper	6	12
7:51	Klay Thompson defensive rebound	6	12
7:42	Klay Thompson makes 22-foot pullup jump shot	6	14
7:31	Dereck Lively II shooting foul	6	14
7:31	Alperen Sengun misses free throw 1 of 2	6	14
7:31	Rockets offensive team rebound	6	14
7:31	Alperen Sengun misses free throw 2 of 2	6	14
7:29	Mavericks defensive team rebound	6	14
7:29	Jabari Smith Jr. loose ball foul	6	14
7:29	Quentin Grimes enters the game for Spencer Dinwiddie	6	14
7:29	Daniel Gafford enters the game for Dereck Lively II	6	14
7:22	P.J. Washington makes 15-foot pullup jump shot	6	16
7:09	Daniel Gafford blocks Alperen Sengun 's 4-foot driving dunk	6	16
7:09	Rockets offensive team rebound	6	16
7:07	Jalen Green makes 13-foot jumper (Fred VanVleet assists)	8	16
6:55	Klay Thompson lost ball turnover (Fred VanVleet steals)	8	16
6:49	Jabari Smith Jr. makes 4-foot dunk	10	16
6:35	Klay Thompson misses 18-foot pullup jump shot	10	16
6:34	Fred VanVleet defensive rebound	10	16
6:27	P.J. Washington blocks Alperen Sengun 's 3-foot driving layup	10	16
6:27	Rockets offensive team rebound	10	16
6:27	Rockets Full timeout	10	16
6:27	(06:27) [Mavericks] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL REPLAYCENTER)	10	16
6:14	Jalen Green makes 4-foot dunk (Alperen Sengun assists)	12	16
5:58	Klay Thompson misses 26-foot three point jumper	12	16
5:57	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	12	16
5:52	Klay Thompson personal foul	12	16
5:52	Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2	13	16
5:52	Maxi Kleber enters the game for P.J. Washington	13	16
5:52	Dillon Brooks makes free throw 2 of 2	14	16
5:37	Daniel Gafford makes 1-foot layup (Quentin Grimes assists)	14	18
5:20	Dillon Brooks makes 12-foot two point shot	16	18
5:02	Klay Thompson lost ball turnover (Alperen Sengun steals)	16	18
4:53	Daniel Gafford personal foul	16	18
4:53	Dillon Brooks makes free throw 1 of 2	17	18
4:53	Jae'Sean Tate enters the game for Jabari Smith Jr.	17	18
4:53	Jaden Hardy enters the game for Klay Thompson	17	18
4:53	Dillon Brooks makes free throw 2 of 2	18	18
4:40	Jaden Hardy makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot	18	20
4:29	Fred VanVleet misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	18	20
4:29	Rockets offensive team rebound	18	20
4:22	Alperen Sengun misses 5-foot hook shot	18	20
4:21	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	18	20
4:14	Alperen Sengun personal foul	18	20
4:04	Maxi Kleber misses 5-foot two point shot	18	20
4:04	Jae'Sean Tate defensive rebound	18	20
3:53	Jalen Green makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Jae'Sean Tate assists)	20	20
3:41	Kyrie Irving misses 9-foot pullup jump shot	20	20
3:40	Rockets defensive team rebound	20	20
3:40	Daniel Gafford loose ball foul	20	20
3:40	Alperen Sengun makes free throw 1 of 2	21	20
3:40	Dwight Powell enters the game for Daniel Gafford	21	20
3:40	Alperen Sengun makes free throw 2 of 2	22	20
3:27	Maxi Kleber makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jaden Hardy assists)	22	23
3:16	Dillon Brooks makes 7-foot pullup jump shot	24	23
2:55	Jaden Hardy misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	24	23
2:54	Jalen Green defensive rebound	24	23
2:45	Dwight Powell blocks Jae'Sean Tate 's 3-foot two point shot	24	23
2:44	Dwight Powell defensive rebound	24	23
2:34	Quentin Grimes makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jaden Hardy assists)	24	26
2:14	Fred VanVleet misses 25-foot three point jumper	24	26
2:13	Kyrie Irving defensive rebound	24	26
2:03	Dillon Brooks personal foul	24	26
2:03	Mavericks Full timeout	24	26
2:03	Aaron Holiday enters the game for Fred VanVleet	24	26
2:03	Jabari Smith Jr. enters the game for Alperen Sengun	24	26
1:50	Kyrie Irving misses 16-foot two point shot	24	26
1:49	Aaron Holiday defensive rebound	24	26
1:30	Jalen Green misses 14-foot pullup jump shot	24	26
1:28	Quentin Grimes defensive rebound	24	26
1:19	Quentin Grimes misses driving layup	24	26
1:14	Maxi Kleber offensive rebound	24	26
1:06	Jaden Hardy makes 8-foot pullup jump shot	24	28
40.0	Dillon Brooks misses driving layup	24	28
39.1	Quentin Grimes defensive rebound	24	28
33.1	Jae'Sean Tate shooting foul	24	28
33.1	Dwight Powell makes free throw 1 of 2	24	29
33.1	P.J. Washington enters the game for Kyrie Irving	24	29
33.1	Dwight Powell makes free throw 2 of 2	24	30
20.1	Jabari Smith Jr. misses driving floating jump shot	24	30
19.2	Dwight Powell defensive rebound	24	30
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	24	30

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Toyota Center (Houston)

Houston, TX

Date & Time

1:00 AM, January 2, 2025

Coverage

NBA League Pass, Space City Home Network, KFAA-TV

Attendance

18,055

Referees

Rodney Mott, Ben Taylor, Jonathan Sterling

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

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Rockets beat the Mavericks 110-99 to snap a 2-game skid

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