Alperen Şengün posts a triple-double as Rockets top Cooper Flagg-led Mavericks in NBA China Game

The NBA’s preseason China series delivered an early storyline on Friday, with the Rockets getting a triple-double from Alperen Şengün in a win over the Mavericks in an NBA China Game. The matchup also put Dallas’s newest star in the spotlight, with Cooper Flagg viewed as the centerpiece of the Mavericks’ on-court approach for the trip.

According to the report, Şengün’s production was the dividing line, as he compiled a triple-double to anchor Houston’s offense and help the Rockets control the game’s flow. For a preseason environment, that kind of creation at multiple positions remains a useful measuring stick, particularly for a team that leans on its interior play to generate paint touches and second-chance opportunities.

Flagg, meanwhile, was the focal point on the Dallas side. The Mavericks’ showing in the China Game was framed around his impact, with the early preseason serving as a stage for how a highly visible rookie or young centerpiece can fit into a veteran team’s pace, spacing, and defensive assignments.

The night also carried scheduling context for fans in both the U.S. and China. The report notes that Dallas and Houston were slated for a second preseason game in China on Sunday, following the fact that the first game had already started by Friday morning for local audiences.

While preseason results are not typically treated as indicators of regular-season outcomes, matchups like this are still significant for two reasons. First, the games offer a rare chance for coaches to evaluate how established roles translate when travel, time zones, and limited practice time compress preparation. Second, for teams featuring a high-profile developmental timeline around a player like Flagg, the early games help reveal how quickly that player can be integrated into real-game reads rather than scripted work.

The next item to watch is whether the Mavericks adjust their plan to match Houston’s interior pressure and whether Şengün’s usage and effectiveness are replicable across the back end of the trip. With another preseason game coming Sunday, the China stretch could provide a clearer picture of how both teams plan to structure their rotations during the final weeks of preparation.

In the immediate term, the takeaway from Friday’s NBA China Game is straightforward: Houston got a marquee individual performance in Şengün’s triple-double, while Dallas’s early China campaign centered heavily on how Cooper Flagg can influence the team’s identity as preseason continues.