Cam Whitmore scored 18 points off the bench, and along with Alperen Sengun, led the Houston Rockets to a 110-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
Sengun finished with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, and six steals as the Rockets bounced back from losing their first two games of a five-game homestand. The game turned in the second quarter when Whitmore and Sengun combined for 20 points in a 23-4 run, turning a 10-point deficit into a 53-44 lead.
Jalen Green added 22 points, and Dillon Brooks contributed 19 points and six rebounds. The Rockets played without two key bench players: Tari Eason (leg injury) and Amen Thompson (suspension).
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 16 points and four 3-pointers, while Kyrie Irving scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had three steals and two blocks.
The Mavericks were already without their top scorer Luka Doncic (calf injury) and then lost P.J. Washington to a right knee sprain, which kept him out for the second half.
Dallas started strong, but Houston fought back from an early 10-point deficit with a 12-2 run, capped off by two free throws from Brooks. The Mavericks led 30-24 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second, the Mavericks led 40-30 when Spencer Dinwiddie hit a 3-pointer at the 8:12 mark, making Dallas 6-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Rockets were 0-for-6 up until that point. Sengun started the Rockets’ comeback with two quick baskets inside, followed by a 3-pointer from Whitmore.
Sengun extended the lead to 47-44, and Whitmore added another 3-pointer, putting Houston ahead by seven. Whitmore scored 11 points during this stretch.
Quentin Grimes led Dallas with 17 points, and Jaden Harden added 10 in the first half, but the Mavericks were down 61-52 at halftime.
Houston started the third quarter strong with a 9-2 run, including a 3-pointer by Jabari Smith Jr. In the fourth, after Thompson and Dinwiddie hit three 3-pointers, Whitmore answered with his own 3-pointer, extending Houston’s lead to 104-86.
