A ferocious third-quarter surge fueled by defense and fast breaks powered the Mavericks to a dominant win, with Anthony Davis leading the charge.
DALLAS — Less than 24 hours after being humbled by the reigning champions, the Dallas Mavericks delivered the type of response that had been missing from their season, overpowering the Houston Rockets with a dominant third-quarter burst to secure a 122–109 win Saturday night at American Airlines Center.
The Mavericks, tied at halftime and navigating the second night of a back-to-back, unleashed a 33–9 run fueled by defensive pressure, turnovers, and fast-break attacks that left Houston staggering. Their 37-point third quarter flipped the game and restored confidence after Friday’s blowout in Oklahoma City.
Cooper Flagg punctuated the run with a violent one-handed dunk — one of several emphatic finishes on the night — flexing toward the bench as the sellout crowd of 19,310 erupted. His final slam in the closing seconds sealed the result and sent fans home buzzing.
Anthony Davis, coming off a season-low two points, reestablished himself immediately, scoring a team-high 29 points on 14-of-19 shooting with eight rebounds. Against a Rockets team missing All-Star center Alperen Sengun, Davis controlled the interior and owned the third quarter with 13 points in the period.
The Mavericks also rediscovered their pace, finishing with 28 fast-break points and a season-high 74 points in the paint while shooting 59.8 percent from the field — their best mark of the season.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said the game’s tone shifted because of defense and tempo, especially given the fatigue from a back-to-back.
In explaining what stood out, Kidd pointed directly to the team’s energy and pressure.
“I thought our defense was really good tonight,” Kidd said. “Being able to rebound the ball and the pace, especially on a back-to-back. Games tend to be a little slower, but I thought the guys did a great job of the pace, getting deflections and steals and being able to turn them into points.”
The Mavericks’ surge was supported by a lineup boosted by the return of P.J. Washington, who missed the previous four games with a right ankle sprain. Washington brought emotion and bursts of athleticism, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high-tying five steals. His buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third quarter sent the crowd into another eruption.
Washington said the relief of returning and contributing to a win outweighed the frustration of his absence.
“It felt great,” Washington said. “Just super excited to be out there with my guys and get a win. It’s been a long four games for me, but I’m just happy to be back.”
Brandon Williams, stepping into a larger role with Klay Thompson sidelined due to left knee soreness, delivered what may have been the most crucial performance of the night outside of Davis. Williams scored 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting with five assists and provided the aggression Dallas lacked in Oklahoma City. His two-handed driving dunk late in the second quarter ignited Dallas’ energy before halftime.
Flagg continued his rise with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks, extending his streak of 15-point games to five. Naji Marshall added 15 points, and Ryan Nembhard — steady as ever in the starting point guard role — posted 11 points and seven assists with his typical low-turnover command.
Houston was led by Kevin Durant, who scored 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting fresh off surpassing 31,000 career points a night earlier. Jabari Smith Jr. added 22 points and eight rebounds, and Aaron Holiday contributed 19 off the bench. Rockets coach Ime Udoka noted after the game that Dallas’ rookie forward, Flagg, is finding new ways to impact a game.
Udoka said the Mavericks’ adjustments with their young forward have unlocked his versatility.
“(He’s) playing different, more confident and more comfortable,” Udoka said. “(There’s) more opportunity, I think, with injuries and some of the things they’ve had to go through, and then playing off the ball and not as much as he was at the start of the year. I think (Flagg) has a skill set and physique to do that, so he’s impacting the game in different ways.”
The Mavericks also played host to franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki, attending his first public game at AAC since April 9.
By the time Flagg soared for his final dunk, Dallas had stretched its lead as large as 22 and extinguished any remaining Houston push. The Rockets never came closer than 11 in the fourth quarter.
After an exhausting schedule stretch and a needed rebound win, the Mavericks finally get relief — five days off before hosting the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday at AAC.
For a team seeking stability and momentum, Saturday provided both.
And for Davis — and the Mavericks — the word “response” fit in every sense.