Photo via Yahoo Sports

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks game preview

The Houston Rockets look to snap a nine-year opening night losing streak as they host the Dallas Mavericks tonight. Houston has struggled in season openers since 2017 and has not won a home debut since 2013.

The division rivals split their four meetings last season, with each team successfully defending their home court. Dallas enters the matchup with a revamped roster featuring multiple top overall picks, including newcomer Zaccharie Risacher and the return of Kyrie Irving.

Head coach Dusty May leads the Mavericks, who are managing injuries to Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama, and Jett Howard. Meanwhile, the Rockets are integrating new additions Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic while welcoming back Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams.

Houston enters the contest as an 8.5-point favorite before heading to San Antonio for their next game.

Up nextNBA· 20h ago

Don’t lose hope: Opening stretch of 2026-27 season is a brutal one for your Dallas Mavericks