NBA: Jalen Green, Rockets survive Mavericks’ late rally

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) celebrates with teammates during the second half in the NBA against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jalen Green scored a team-high 23 points and the visiting Houston Rockets fended off a fourth-quarter comeback from the Dallas Mavericks to claim a 108-102 victory in the NBA on Thursday.

Green buried a 3-pointer with 1:12 remaining to stabilize the Rockets and answer Luka Doncic’s 3-pointer that pulled Dallas to within 100-97. Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks added a pair of turnaround jumpers to help the Rockets hold off the Mavericks, who trailed by 23 points in the third quarter.

Brooks and Alperen Sengun scored 17 points apiece for the Rockets, who got a combined 25 points and eight rebounds from Thompson and Tari Eason off the bench. Sengun matched Green with a game-high 12 rebounds.

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Doncic scored 15 of his game-high 29 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving (28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) kept the Mavericks afloat before Doncic and Klay Thompson, who added eight fourth-quarter points, fueled the frantic fourth-quarter rally.

Klay Thompson finished with 12 points.

When Doncic sat with his fourth foul at the 5:33 mark of the third, the Rockets responded with a 14-5 surge that yielded their largest lead of the night, 82-59. Brooks followed his second-chance basket with a transition dunk off a turnover to cap the run and force a Dallas timeout.

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That’s when Irving came to the rescue for the Mavericks, drilling a pair of 3-pointers plus a buzzer-beater that cut the deficit to 88-72 entering the fourth.

Irving scored 14 points in the third; and, when the Rockets made just one field goal over the opening five-plus minutes of the fourth, Dallas closed within 91-84 before Green scored on a pair of drives to the basket.

Earlier, a 3-pointer by Brooks had lifted the Rockets to their first double-digit lead, 27-15. Houston led 34-21 after shooting 57.1 percent in the opening period.

After Houston extended to a 56-36 lead on a three-point play from Jabari Smith Jr., Dallas closed the half with an 8-1 run that cut the deficit to 13 at the break. While Houston missed its final six shots of the half, with two turnovers mixed in, Doncic hit two free throws and a floater. –Field Level Media