Rockets star Kevin Durant makes old man history in shellacking of Mavericks

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, now 38 years old, etched his name into NBA history during Wednesday night’s season-opening triumph against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. Durant's 30-point, six-rebound, three-assist, one-steal and one-block performance marked him as the oldest player in league history to score 30 or more points in a season opener.

His shooting accuracy was impressive, as he hit 10 of his 16 field goal attempts, 2 of 3 three-pointers and 8 of 11 free throws. The 30-year-old Jabari Smith Jr. matched Durant's scoring output, finishing with 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting. The Rockets led by six points after the first quarter and went on to outscore the Mavericks 38-12 in the second half.

Their dominance continued as they took a 15-point halftime lead, extending it to 70-38 at the break. The Rockets also achieved a 37-point advantage in the third quarter. Alperen Sengun contributed significantly with 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Fred VanVleet, who returned from a torn ACL injury that sidelined him for the 2025-26 season, delivered a standout performance with six points and 11 assists, while also avoiding a turnover in 30 minutes.

The victory ended the Rockets' eight-game opening-night losing streak. Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg led with 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting, while Kyrie Irving contributed 15 points in his first regular-season game since tearing his left ACL in March 2025. PJ Washington added 10 points and four rebounds for the Mavericks.

The game marked the debut for Dallas head coach Dusty May. The Mavericks battled back, cutting the deficit to 103-86 with about nine minutes remaining, but Houston responded with an 8-2 run, bolstered by three-pointers from Durant and VanVleet, to push the lead to 111-88. The Rockets will face the San Antonio Spurs in Austin on Friday.