The Rockets Get Their First Taste Of Successful Clutch Play

The Houston Rockets battled to the end against the Dallas Mavericks, taking advantage of crunch time opportunities on offense and defense. In their first clutch victory of the season, Houston saw the blueprint for their success for the rest of the year.

Nov 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA ;Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) passes against Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin (16), guard D'Angelo Russell (5) and forward P.J. Washington (25) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

After three straight blowout wins, the Houston Rockets finally experienced a victory in a clutch situation after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in a tightly contested game. Houston had plenty of clutch experience going into the game, despite losing their first two opportunities that came down to the wire.

The Rockets corrected some of their prior failings to take over the game near the end and secure a fourth straight win before taking on a Memphis Grizzlies team mired in controversy.

Houston's first two plays against the Mavericks were an early look of how the rest of the game would play out. The top three players all got involved as Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Durant combined to create easy baskets at the rim.

The Rockets leaned on their top trio in the clutch, counting on Sengun to deliver in isolation at the top of the key to score a clutch basket against Daniel Gafford.

Durant was added to the team to lead the team's offense in the clutch, but it seems he and Head Coach Ime Udoka have developed trust in Sengun to take his opportunities against favorable matchups.

With his quickness and skill with the ball in his hands, most natural centers are a favorable matchup for Sengun.

The offense wasn't the only side of the ball that got a quality clutch performance to deliver the victory.

Thompson showed his defensive and rebounding prowess throughout the game, often matching up against Dallas' Cooper Flagg who threatened to have a big game by making some early shots.

Tari Eason also made some major contributions to the defense; he and Jabari Smith Jr. have been key to Houston's success in the early part of the season by playing quality defense and hitting timely shots from deep range.

While the Rockets may have secured their first clutch victory, they had shown promise in their first two games of the season. They were just one or two plays away from defeating the defending champions, and they battled throughout the game against a Detroit Pistons team that seams poised to compete in the Eastern Conference.

With so much talent in the West, many of Houston's games may come down to the wire. Durant and Sengun will be counted on to lead the team in critical moments to secure important wins.

The Mavericks may not have their full cast of players currently, but a win in a clutch situation is a strong reference point for Houston to lean on in future games.