NBA
Kyrie Irving Scores 35 As Mavericks Hand Rockets Their First Loss
Irving made five threes and all six free throws, while Cooper Flagg added 33 points as Dallas won 116–111.
Kyrie Irving scored 35 points and Cooper Flagg added 33 as Dallas beat Houston 116–111 Friday at American Airlines Center, handing the Rockets their first defeat in an NBA Cup opener.
Irving made 12 of 19 shots and five of eight three-pointers, adding nine assists and four rebounds. He also converted all six free throws, giving Dallas reliable finishing at the line during a close final minute.
The Mavericks trailed 84–76 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring Houston 40–27. Their comeback followed a second period in which the Rockets turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point halftime advantage.
Irving’s pull-up jumper broke a 100–100 tie with 2:08 remaining. Flagg followed with a driving basket and free throw, then hit a turnaround jumper with 24.3 seconds left to restore a four-point cushion.
Houston still had a chance after Jabari Smith Jr.’s three-pointer made it 109–108. Daniel Gafford answered with two free throws at 11.3 seconds, and Dallas finished with additional makes from Irving and Flagg to protect its lead.
The final box score shows Flagg shot 13 of 19 while collecting nine rebounds and six assists. Gafford contributed 18 points and seven rebounds, making six of seven field-goal attempts. Together, those three leading scorers supplied 86 of Dallas’ 116 points. Dallas made 42 of 81 shots compared with Houston’s 40 of 96, overcoming a 48–41 rebounding deficit through better shooting.
Kevin Durant led Houston with 28 points, and Smith had 22. The Rockets made only seven of 29 three-point attempts and missed nine free throws. Durant and Amen Thompson each missed a pair late in the fourth quarter.
Dallas improved to 4–2, while Houston dropped to 5–1. Irving’s scoring jump followed a 15-point outing in the Mavericks’ Wednesday win over Oklahoma City, when Dallas also defeated a previously unbeaten opponent.
