This Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks timeline starts with the short answer: the Houston Rockets lead the Dallas Mavericks 115–106 across 217 all-time meetings, while their playoff history is dead even at 8–8. The Texas rivals have clashed in three postseason series — 1988, 2005, and 2015 — and their latest meeting came on January 31, 2026, a 111–107 Rockets win. With Luka Dončić now a Laker, Cooper Flagg in Dallas, and Kevin Durant in Houston, the rivalry has just entered its most unpredictable era yet.
The 1980s: First Meeting and First Playoff Clash
The Mavericks joined the NBA as an expansion team for the 1980–81 season, giving Texas its second team — the Rockets had moved from San Diego to Houston in 1971. The first-ever meeting came on October 29, 1980: a 109–103 Rockets win. Dallas took time to grow teeth, but by 1988 both teams were playoff-bound and met in the first round, where the third-seeded Mavericks beat the sixth-seeded Rockets 3–1. Houston still took the decade’s regular-season series, 34–29.
The 1990s: Houston’s Championship Decade
The nineties belonged to Houston. The Rockets won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 while Dallas cycled through losing seasons — the decade’s regular-season tally was a lopsided 32–13 for Houston. The era’s signature game came on April 11, 1995, when Dallas outlasted Houston 156–147 in double overtime, the highest-scoring game the two teams have ever played.
The 2000s: Dallas Strikes Back
Dirk Nowitzki turned the rivalry on its head. Dallas dominated the decade 31–16, and the teams produced their greatest series in the 2005 first round: seven games, with Dallas surviving 4–3. The Mavericks’ rise culminated in the 2011 championship — the franchise’s first — built around Nowitzki’s legendary playoff run.
The 2010s: Harden, the 2015 Rematch, and Luka’s Arrival
Houston swung back in the 2010s (24–19), powered by James Harden after his 2012 arrival. The decade’s playoff chapter came in 2015, when the Rockets beat Dallas 4–1 in a first-round series remembered as much for the Mavericks’ mid-series implosion as for Houston’s dominance. Then, in 2018, Dallas drafted Luka Dončić, and the rivalry’s center of gravity shifted north for the next six years.
The 2020s: The 2025 Earthquake
No stretch in this rivalry’s history changed faster. In February 2025, Dallas stunned the sports world by trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Months later, the Mavericks won the draft lottery and selected Cooper Flagg first overall in June 2025. That same summer, Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets. Overnight, both teams were rebuilt around new faces — Flagg in Dallas, Durant in Houston. The latest chapter came on January 31, 2026, when Houston won 111–107, and the next meeting is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks Timeline: Head-to-Head Record
Across 217 meetings, Houston leads 115–106, and the postseason is perfectly split at 8–8. Decade by decade: Houston took the 1980s (34–29), the 1990s (32–13), and the 2010s (24–19); Dallas took the 2000s (31–16) and leads the 2020s (14–7). Houston also rides the current streak at two straight wins.
Want to see how individual games break down at the player level? Our Miami Heat vs 76ers player stats breakdown shows what a single box score reveals — and if you’re curious how Texas matchups get priced, our Buboss Picks guide explains how live NBA odds work. (Series records via Wikipedia’s Mavericks–Rockets rivalry page.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the Rockets vs Mavericks all-time series?
The Houston Rockets, 115–106 across 217 meetings.
How many times have the Rockets and Mavericks met in the playoffs?
Three times: Dallas won 3–1 in 1988 and 4–3 in 2005; Houston won 4–1 in 2015. The all-time playoff game record is tied 8–8.
Why is it called the Battle of Texas?
Houston and Dallas are Texas’s two biggest cities, linked by Interstate 45 — hence the alternate nickname “I-45.”
When do the Rockets and Mavericks play next?
Their next scheduled meeting is October 21, 2026. The latest game was January 31, 2026, a 111–107 Rockets win.
Is Luka Dončić still on the Mavericks?
No. Dallas traded Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025, then drafted Cooper Flagg first overall that June.
Is Kevin Durant on the Rockets?
Yes — Durant was traded to Houston in the summer of 2025.
The Bottom Line
This Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks timeline now spans forty-six years, 217 games, three playoff wars, and a dead-even 8–8 postseason split: Rockets–Mavericks is Texas basketball at its best. And with Flagg and Durant rewriting both rosters, the next chapter might be the wildest yet.
