Rockets Rout Mavericks 128-110 in Season Opener

The Houston Rockets opened the 2026-27 season with a 128-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, turning a matchup billed as a mismatch on paper into exactly that on the floor. Houston's grinding, defense-first identity carried over from a 52-win season, and Dallas — with Kyrie Irving back in uniform, a second-year Cooper Flagg, and new head coach Dusty May — never found a foothold.

Our pre-game premium pick leaned on Houston's baseline and the workload caveats around Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams. The Rockets covered that ground comfortably, winning by 18 and clearing the projected 120.3-109.9 scoreline on the home side while holding Dallas below its projection.

On the prop board, the results were mixed. Kevin Durant over 23.50 points hit — a line set below his 25.97 season average and a 28.4 average across his final five games. Amen Thompson over 17.50 also cashed, consistent with his 18.27 season mark and 24.2 average over his last five. Jabari Smith Jr. over 13.50 at plus money landed as well, rewarding a player who had cleared that number five straight times. Fred VanVleet under 13.50 was the miss: the workload-management logic pointed under, but the result went the other way, and the -121 juice made it sting.

The takeaway is familiar but worth repeating: opening night rewards recency and role clarity over last season's raw averages. Houston's rotation plans were the real signal, and the Rockets' defensive identity traveled. For future picks, treat workload notes as directional rather than decisive — and keep leaning on players whose recent form and current role align.