Mavericks and Rockets Split NBA China Games as Irving Returns

The NBA China Games returned to Macao this month, and the two Texas rivals who made the trip shared the spoils. The Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 135-117 at the Venetian Arena on Friday, 9 October, and Dallas responded with a 132-115 win on Sunday, 11 October. The second game carried extra significance: it was Kyrie Irving’s first game of any kind since March 2025.

For Malaysian fans, the series had a rare advantage. Macao shares Malaysia’s time zone, so the games tipped off at 8 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Sunday local time, according to NBA.com’s listing of 8 a.m. and 6 a.m. Eastern starts. It was a chance to watch NBA basketball, even preseason basketball, at a civilised hour.

Irving’s return

Irving tore his left ACL on 3 March 2025 and missed the rest of that season and the whole of the next. In Macao he played 22 minutes and scored 17 points, opening his night with a reverse layup on the first possession. NBA.com described him as looking healthy, and its Starting 5 newsletter led with the headline “Kyrie’s return sparks Dallas in China”. Earlier in the week, Irving had said that Macao feels like a second home.

He was not the only Maverick to shine in the second game. Cooper Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 pick, visiting Asia for the first time, had 14 points and seven assists, including a breakaway two-handed dunk. Rookie Sergio de Larrea, the No. 25 pick, recorded nine points, seven rebounds and four assists and finished with a game-high plus-34. Veteran Dwight Powell, who also played in the Mavericks’ previous win in China against the 76ers in 2018, added three points and five rebounds.

• Game 1, Friday 9 October: Rockets 135, Mavericks 117.
• Game 2, Sunday 11 October: Mavericks 132, Rockets 115.
• Kyrie Irving: 17 points in 22 minutes in his first game since March 2025.
• Cooper Flagg: 14 points and seven assists in game 2.
• Marcus Smart: 20 points for Houston in his first appearance as a Rocket.

Houston’s side of the story

The Rockets took the opener comfortably, although detailed statistics from that game were not widely published. Sands China’s summary named Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson among the Houston players in action during the week. In the second game, Marcus Smart scored 20 points in his first appearance for the Rockets, a promising sign for a team that will rely on his defence and leadership off the bench.

NBA.com’s pre-series coverage captured the atmosphere around the teams. Rockets fans greeted the squad at its hotel with signs referencing Durant, Sengun signed autographs after practice, and Houston trained on a custom NBA China Games floor. A large crowd gathered for the Mavericks’ team photoshoot outside the Venetian.

A week of events in Macao

The games were the centrepiece of a wider festival organised by Sands China, whose release described a full house at the Venetian Arena for both nights. NBA House ran from 7 to 11 October with appearances from former players including Ray Allen, Chris Bosh, Jeremy Lin, Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion, Mitch Richmond and Luis Scola, as well as Chinese basketball figure Ding Yanyuhang. An NBA Fan Day on 10 October brought players from both teams together with fans and celebrities.

• Venue: the Venetian Arena, Macao, described by Sands China as a full house for both games.
• Half-time entertainment: K-pop group KiiiKiii.
• NBA House: 7 to 11 October, with legends appearances and viewing parties.
• Closing show: a fireworks and 1,500-drone display on 11 October.

Context and significance

This was the 16th edition of the NBA China Games and the second year in a row that the league has played in Macao, after the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns visited in 2025 as the first NBA teams in China since 2019. Sports Illustrated noted that the Venetian Arena is owned by the family of Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont, and that the Rockets, long popular in China thanks to Yao Ming, have repaired a relationship damaged by the 2019 controversy over comments made by former general manager Daryl Morey.

On the court, preseason results matter little in themselves. What matters is health and rhythm, and on that front Dallas left Macao with the most important news: Irving is back. For Houston, the opener was a reminder of how deep and talented its rotation has become, and Smart’s debut added another option.

The rivalry resumes in earnest when the regular season begins. The Mavericks and Rockets are scheduled to meet in Houston on opening week, with Irving expected to play and Flagg entering his second season as the face of the franchise. For fans who watched in Macao, it will be a chance to see whether the preseason split was a sign of an even rivalry, or just two teams finding their feet.

How to read the next chapter

The first step in reading Mavericks and Rockets Split NBA China Games as Irving Returns is to separate the confirmed event from what it may mean for the rest of the season. One game, injury update or contract decision can change a team's immediate options, but it rarely settles a longer trend. Look at the official game book or team announcement for the event itself, then compare it with the wider schedule and the players actually available. Early-season numbers are particularly sensitive to small samples: a high shooting percentage over two games says less than the quality and type of the shots that created it.

Lineups are the most practical follow-up. A team can lose a scorer yet improve defensively with a different five, or win one night while a weak bench rotation remains unresolved. Watch how the coach distributes minutes, which players close each half and who handles the ball when the first option is denied. In the case of Mavericks and Rockets Split NBA China Games as Irving Returns, those details will show whether the immediate headline translates into a stable change. They are questions to test in subsequent games, not claims that a specific rotation has already been chosen.