DALLAS — Jalen Green delivered an impressive performance, contributing 23 points and securing 12 rebounds, while Alperen Sengun supported with 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets triumphed over the Dallas Mavericks 108-102 on Thursday night.

The Rockets held a commanding 23-point lead late in the third quarter, but the Mavericks, the reigning Western Conference champions, rallied in the final period, narrowing the gap to 103-100 with just one minute remaining in the game.

Dillon Brooks also scored 17 points for Houston, and Tari Eason added 15 points coming off the bench. The Rockets’ reserves significantly outperformed their Mavericks counterparts, recording 33 points against 21.

For Dallas, Luka Doncic was the standout, finishing with 29 points, including a strong 15 points in the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving contributed 28 points, while Klay Thompson was the only other Maverick to reach double digits, scoring 12 points.

**Takeaways**:

Rockets: Houston continued to exhibit its offensive prowess, having ranked third in the NBA with an average of 94.5 field goal attempts per game leading up to this match, and they launched 97 attempts in this contest. In contrast, the Mavericks managed only 85 attempts.

Mavericks: The Dallas center duo of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively struggled with foul trouble throughout the game, with Lively accruing five fouls and Gafford four by the end of the third quarter. Together, they only managed six rebounds as the Rockets dominated the boards, 50 to 37, and scored 20 points off second-chance opportunities compared to the Mavericks’ eight.

**Key moment**: With just over a minute to go, Doncic hit a crucial 3-pointer, bringing Dallas within three points. However, Amen Thompson of Houston quickly responded with a fadeaway jumper, extending the Rockets’ lead once again.

**Key stat**: The Mavericks put themselves in a difficult position by struggling from beyond the arc, shooting only 2 for 12 on 3-pointers during the first half.

**Up next**: The Rockets are set to kick off a three-game homestand on Saturday as they face off against the Golden State Warriors, while the Mavericks will begin a back-to-back series at home on Sunday against the Orlando Magic.