Rockets Torch Mavericks 135-117 as Preseason Under Gets Obliterated

The Rockets rolled into Dallas and torched the Mavericks 135-117, turning our under 221.5 into charcoal. So much for preseason tempo theory—this one sailed to 252 total points like both teams forgot they were supposed to be evaluating camp bodies, not auditioning for the All-Star Game.

Houston's offense was nuclear from the opening tip, and Dallas had zero answers defensively. The Rockets' supposedly glacial pace from last season? Apparently left in Houston. They pushed transition, hit shots in bunches, and turned what should've been a sleepy October exhibition into a track meet. The Mavericks kept pace offensively but couldn't get a single stop when it mattered, allowing 135 points in a game where rotations were supposed to kill rhythm.

Our reasoning centered on disrupted execution and Houston's slow-tempo DNA dominating. Instead, we got the exact opposite—both squads played loose, the shots fell, and defensive intensity was optional. Dereck Lively's absence might've contributed to Dallas's defensive porosity, but that doesn't explain Houston dropping 135 in what was supposed to be a grind-it-out affair.

Credit where it's due: the Rockets came ready to score. We got this one wrong, and the box score doesn't lie. Preseason or not, 252 points is 252 points.