HOUSTON (Interstat) — Amen Thompson had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 111-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night at Toyota Center. An alley-oop dunk by Thompson put Houston up four with under two minutes left before Dallas scored the next four points to tie it. Alperen Sengun’s layup put Houston ahead with 28.6 seconds left before Cooper Flagg missed a shot in the lane for Dallas. The Rockets grabbed the rebound and a dunk by Tari Eason sealed it with 14.4 seconds remaining. Flagg led the Mavericks with 34 points and 12 rebounds. The Rockets improved to 30-17, while the Mavericks fell to 19-30.

HOUSTON (Interstat) — In a game defined by its frantic final minutes, the Houston Rockets held off a furious comeback attempt by the Dallas Mavericks to secure a 111-107 victory Saturday night at Toyota Center before a crowd of 18,055. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, orchestrating the offense and delivering the decisive plays down the stretch to help Houston improve to 30-17. The Mavericks, led by rookie standout Cooper Flagg’s 34 points and 12 rebounds, fell to 19-30 with their fourth consecutive loss. The contest appeared to be slipping away from Dallas for much of the night. Houston built an early lead behind efficient offense, taking a 31-28 advantage after the first quarter and extending it to 59-51 by halftime. The Rockets maintained control through the third, leading 87-79 heading into the final period, largely by dominating the margins of the game. They out-assisted Dallas 10-3, forced 11 Mavericks turnovers while committing only five, and outscored Dallas 18-11 in second-chance points thanks to 18 offensive rebounds. Dallas’s offense, which managed just three assists all night, relied heavily on individual creation, particularly from Flagg. The rookie forward shot 13 of 15 from the free-throw line to fuel his scoring. Daniel Gafford provided a double-double for the Mavericks with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Rockets’ attack was more balanced. Beyond Thompson’s all-around effort, Jabari Smith Jr. scored 19 points with eight rebounds and three blocks, Tari Eason added 17 points and seven rebounds, and Alperen Sengun recorded 14 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Durant, though shooting 6 of 18 from the field, finished with 13 points, eight assists and five rebounds. The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final two minutes with the score knotted at 107-107. Thompson broke the tie with an alley-oop dunk off a feed from Sengun with 1:54 remaining. Flagg and Naji Marshall responded with consecutive baskets for Dallas to tie the game at 107 with just over a minute left. Houston reclaimed the lead for good on its next possession when Sengun drove for a layup with 28.6 seconds on the clock. Flagg then missed a driving attempt in the lane on Dallas’s ensuing trip, and the Rockets secured the defensive rebound. Following a timeout, Eason sealed the victory with a dunk on an assist from Durant with 14.4 seconds remaining, providing the final margin. The Mavericks had one last chance, but Flagg’s potential game-tying 3-point attempt with nine seconds left missed, and Smith secured the rebound to clinch the Houston win. The game was a stark contrast in styles. Houston’s ball movement and defensive activity, registering 10 steals and six blocks, compensated for shooting just 41.7% from the field. Dallas shot 44.6% but was hampered by poor ball movement and a 57.7% clip from the free-throw line, missing 11 attempts. The victory gave Houston a 2-1 edge in the season series after the teams split two previous meetings in December and early January. The Rockets, who were installed as 11-point pregame favorites, narrowly covered the spread in a game where the total points, 218, fell under the betting line of 221.5. Houston next travels to face the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Dallas, mired in a difficult season, returns home to host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

HOUSTON (Interstat) — The Houston Rockets, holding a firm grip on a playoff position, will look to avenge a recent loss and extend their home-court advantage when they host the struggling Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night at Toyota Center. The Southwest Division rivals meet for the fourth time this season, with Dallas (19-28) having won two of the first three matchups. Most recently, the Mavericks edged the Rockets 110-104 on Jan. 3 behind a balanced attack. Houston (28-17), however, has been the far superior team overall, sitting 11 games above .500 and entering the weekend as the seed in the Western Conference. Houston aims to bounce back from a disappointing 111-99 home loss to San Antonio on Wednesday. Second-year guard Amen Thompson has emerged as a central figure, averaging 17.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists over his last 10 games. He posted 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the loss to the Spurs and recorded a triple-double with 14 assists against Memphis on Jan. 26. Dallas, mired nine games below .500, has lost three of its last four, including a 118-105 defeat to Minnesota on Wednesday. Forward-center PJ Washington is coming off one of his best performances of the season in that loss, scoring 21 points with seven rebounds and two blocks. His production has been volatile, however, as he was held to just two points in a loss to the Lakers on Jan. 24. The Rockets’ core of Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant presents a multifaceted challenge. Sengun nearly notched a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists against San Antonio, while Durant added 24 points and six assists. For Dallas to snap a two-game skid, they will need more consistent support around Washington. Daniel Gafford (14 points, six rebounds vs. Minnesota) and Naji Marshall (18 points, six rebounds) provided sparks last game but the Mavericks’ defense, which allows 116.3 points per game, will be tested by Houston’s top-10 offense. The season series has followed a home-court pattern so far, with each team winning on the other’s floor. Houston took the only previous meeting in Houston this season, 110-102 on Nov. 3. Following this contest, Houston begins a two-game road trip at Indiana on Monday. Dallas returns home to face the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.