Rockets pour in offense to beat Mavericks 135-117 in Macao opener of NBA China Preseason

The Houston Rockets jumped on offense early and never really let up, beating the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 in Macao on Friday in what was both teams’ first taste of the NBA China Preseason miniseries. Dallas’ trip marks a recognizable theme from recent basketball, even if the calendar says preseason, with Yahoo Sports pointing to continuing problems turning possessions into points.

For the Mavericks, this was the first of two games in Macao as part of the NBA’s mini-tournament format in China. They will face the Rockets again later in the series, giving Dallas a relatively fast chance to address what went wrong in the opening night’s execution.

The broadcast-friendly scoreline tells a straightforward story. Houston scored enough to keep Dallas chasing, and Dallas’ offense had trouble providing sustained runs. In its game preview and review of the matchup, Yahoo Sports described Dallas as “new-look” but still struggling offensively, suggesting the lineup changes have not yet translated into reliable shot creation or consistent scoring sequences.

That idea matters because preseason games often reveal the gap between scheme and execution, especially for teams trying to reshape their offensive identity. Dallas’ problems, as characterized in the coverage, echoed difficulties the Mavericks faced throughout last season, implying that the team’s challenge is not only who is on the floor but how the offense is generating quality looks game after game.

Houston, meanwhile, benefited from turning opportunities into a steady stream of points, controlling the tempo enough to stretch the game out. In a two-game set, that kind of offensive rhythm is more than a highlight. It forces Dallas to adjust in real time, not only on shot selection but also on how quickly Dallas can close out on drives and recover on outside shooting.

With the Mavericks trailing by a wide margin for stretches, the focus for Dallas moving forward is less about immediate redemption on one possession and more about solving the underlying offensive patterns that broke down in Macao. The rematch later in the miniseries will be the next checkpoint, and it will show whether the coaching staff can tighten execution without sacrificing the upside they are trying to install.