Mavericks beat Rockets 132-115 in Macao to split the NBA China Games

The third quarter of Sunday's preseason game in Macao was tied three times. Naji Marshall ended it. His three with 5:12 left broke a 77-77 tie, and the Dallas Mavericks never trailed again in a 132-115 win over the Houston Rockets at the Venetian Arena.

The two teams split the NBA China Games. Houston won the first game in Macao 135-117 on Friday. The crowd on Sunday was 11,711.

Houston played without Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, who all sat out as a coach's decision.

The run that decided it

Marshall's three started a 15-2 Dallas run. Marshall added a pull-up jumper, Cooper Flagg made two free throws, Sergio de Larrea made two more, Dwight Powell finished a three-point play, and Max Christie hit a running jumper to make it 92-79 with 2:38 left in the quarter. Dallas won the third quarter 37-34 and led 95-85 going into the fourth.

Houston got within five once more, at 99-94 with 9:43 to play. Dallas scored 33 of the last 54 points from there, and the margin reached 19, 132-113, in the last 30 seconds.

How the first half went

Houston led by seven early, 22-15. Dallas took over in the second quarter. P.J. Washington's three tied it 31-31, and the Mavericks went on an 18-3 run. Marshall and Washington dunked, Kyrie Irving scored on a running layup, de Larrea hit a three and Daniel Gafford finished a three-point play. Dallas led 58-51 at half-time.

The Rockets came back early in the third quarter. Amen Thompson hit a three to give them a 66-64 lead with 8:38 left, and the lead changed hands five times before Marshall's three.

The numbers

Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 17 points in 22 minutes. Zaccharie Risacher scored 16 on seven of 13 shooting. Flagg had 14 points, seven assists and two steals, and made seven of eight free throws. Marshall and Christie scored 14 each off the bench. De Larrea had nine points, seven rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes, and Dallas outscored Houston by 34 with him on the floor.

Marcus Smart led Houston with 20 points and four threes. Reed Sheppard scored 17 with four threes, and Jabari Smith Jr. and Thompson had 14 each. Thompson added seven rebounds and six assists.

Dallas made 35 of 39 free throws. Houston made 27 of 36.

Scoring

Mavericks: Kyrie Irving 17, Zaccharie Risacher 16, Cooper Flagg 14, Naji Marshall 14, Max Christie 14, P.J. Washington 10, Daniel Gafford 9, Sergio de Larrea 9, Tarik Biberovic 8, Tobi Lawal 5, Jett Howard 4, Dwight Powell 3, Caleb Martin 3, Moussa Cisse 3, Seth Lundy 3.

Rockets: Marcus Smart 20, Reed Sheppard 17, Jabari Smith Jr. 14, Amen Thompson 14, Oscar Tshiebwe 12, Tari Eason 9, Bruce Thornton 9, Bogdan Bogdanović 7, Isaiah Crawford 6, Clint Capela 5, Quadir Copeland 2, Julian Phillips 0, Sean Pedulla 0.

By quarter: Mavericks 28, 30, 37, 37. Rockets 27, 24, 34, 30.

What is next

Dallas host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, October 14, at 8:00 p.m. ET, then the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, October 16. Houston host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, October 15, at 8:30 p.m. ET.