Mavericks–Rockets rivalry

Mavericks–Rockets rivalry

Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets
First meeting	October 29, 1980 Rockets 109, Mavericks 103
Latest meeting	October 31, 2024 Rockets 108, Mavericks 102
Next meeting	January 1, 2025
Statistics
Meetings total	214
All-time series	111–103 (HOU)
Regular season series	103–95 (HOU)
Postseason results	8–8 (tied)
Longest win streak	HOU W10
Current win streak	HOU W1
Postseason history
1988 Western Conference First Round: Mavericks won, 3–1 2005 Western Conference First Round: Mavericks won, 4–3 2015 Western Conference First Round : Rockets won, 4–1

The Mavericks–Rockets rivalry also known as the Battle of Texas, and the I-45 Rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets.

Background

The rivalry between the Mavericks and the Rockets has developed over years of competition in the NBA's Western Conference. With both teams located in the state of Texas, the rivalry is fueled by regional pride and a desire for supremacy within the state. The two teams also share a rivalry with the third Texas team in the NBA: the San Antonio Spurs. In the Mavericks' inaugural season in 1980–81, the Rockets won all six meetings including a 116–68 win. In the playoffs, the Mavericks defeated the Rockets in the 1988 and 2005 playoffs, the latter of which was plagued with allegations of game-fixing, while the Rockets swept several season series with the Mavericks during the 1990s, and also during the Rockets' championship years. On April 11, 1995, the Mavericks defeated the Rockets 156–147 in double overtime, making that win one of their most memorable victories against Houston who were the reigning champions. Two years later, the Rockets and Mavericks have clashed in their first-ever regular season game played in Mexico City, which was won by the Rockets 108–106. In the 2010s, the rivalry has once again flourished with Dallas owner Mark Cuban and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey taking shots at each other on social media, as well as Houston fan-favorite Chandler Parsons signing an offer sheet to leave the Rockets to sign with the rival Mavericks for $46 million, while making negative statements about the city of Houston upon leaving, causing massive backlash among Rockets fans. Finally, longtime Mavericks' player Jason Terry, who was a starter on the Mavericks' 2011 championship team, joined the Rockets for the 2014–15 season, and both teams met in the first round of the 2015 NBA playoffs, with the Rockets as the second seed and Mavericks the seventh seed, and the Rockets got the best of them 4–1.

Season-by-season results

Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets Season-by-Season Results
1980s (Rockets, 34–29) Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Overall series Notes 1980–81 Rockets 6–0 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets 6–0 Dallas Mavericks join the NBA as an expansion team and are placed in the Midwest Division. Houston Rockets move from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference and are placed in the Midwest Division alongside the Mavericks. On February 4, 1981, Rockets beat the Mavericks 116–68, their largest victory against the Mavericks with a 48-point differential. Rockets lose 1981 NBA Finals. 1981–82 Rockets 4–2 Mavericks, 2–1 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets 10–2 1982–83 Mavericks 5–1 Mavericks, 2–1 Mavericks, 3–0 Rockets 11–7 1983–84 Mavericks 4–2 Mavericks, 3–0 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets 13–11 1984–85 Rockets 4–2 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets 17–13 1985–86 Rockets 5–1 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets 22–14 Rockets win the Midwest Division for the first time. Rockets lose 1986 NBA Finals. 1986–87 Tie 3–3 Mavericks, 3–0 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets 25–17 Mavericks win the Midwest Division for the first time. 1987–88 Mavericks 4–2 Mavericks, 2–1 Mavericks, 2–1 Rockets 27–21 1988 Western Conference First Round Mavericks 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 28–24 1st postseason series. 1988–89 Rockets 5–1 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets 33–25 1989–90 Mavericks 4–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–1 Rockets 34–29
1990s (Rockets, 32–13) Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Overall series Notes 1990–91 Rockets 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 37–30 1991–92 Mavericks 4–2 Mavericks, 2–1 Mavericks, 2–1 Rockets 39–34 1992–93 Rockets 4–1 Rockets, 3–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 43–35 Rockets win the Midwest Division. 1993–94 Rockets 4–1 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 47–36 Rockets win the Midwest Division. Rockets win 1994 NBA Finals, their first NBA championship. 1994–95 Rockets 3–2 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 2–1 Rockets 50–38 On April 11, 1995, at Houston, Mavericks beat the Rockets 156–147 in double overtime, their most points scored in a game against the Rockets and their most points scored in a game overall as a franchise. Rockets win 1995 NBA Finals. 1995–96 Rockets 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 53–39 1996–97 Rockets 4–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 57–39 1997–98 Rockets 4–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 61–39 Compaq renamed Rocket's home stadium The Summit to Compaq Center. On December 7, 1997, Rockets beat the Mavericks 108–106 at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico. The game is accounted for as a Dallas home game. 1998–99 Tie 2–2 Rockets, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 63–41 Rockets win 11 games in a row against the Mavericks. First time away team sweeps the season series. 1999–2000 Rockets 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 66–42
2000s (Mavericks, 31–16) Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Overall series Notes 2000–01 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 68–44 First time both teams split the season series. Last season Mavericks played at Reunion Arena. 2001–02 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 70–46 Mavericks open up American Airlines Center. 2002–03 Mavericks 4–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 70–50 Mavericks sweep the Rockets in the season series for the first time. Mavericks win the season series and finish with a winning record at home for the first time since the 1991 season. Last season Rockets played at Compaq Center (formerly known as The Summit). 2003–04 Mavericks 3–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 71–53 Rockets open up Toyota Center. 2004–05 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 73–55 As part of new realignments, Mavericks and Rockets move to the new Southwest Division. 2005 Western Conference First Round Mavericks 4–3 Tie, 2–2 Mavericks, 2–1 Rockets 76–59 2nd postseason series. Mavericks come back from 0–2 to win the series. In Game 7 at Dallas, Mavericks beat the Rockets 116–76, their largest victory against the Rockets with a 40-point differential. 2005–06 Mavericks 4–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 76–63 Mavericks lose 2006 NBA Finals. 2006–07 Mavericks 3–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 77–66 Mavericks win the Southwest Division for the first time. Mavericks finish with the best record in the league (67–15). 2007–08 Mavericks 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 78–69 2008–09 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 80–71 2009–10 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 82–73 Mavericks win the Southwest Division.
2010s (Rockets, 24–19) Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Overall series Notes 2010–11 Mavericks 4–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 82–77 Mavericks win 2011 NBA Finals, their first NBA championship. 2011–12 Mavericks 3–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 1–0 Rockets 82–80 2012–13 Mavericks 3–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Tie, 1–1 Tie 83–83 Mavericks win 9 games in a row against the Rockets. 2013–14 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Tie 85–85 2014–15 Rockets 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 88–86 Rockets win the season series and finish with a winning record at home against the Mavericks for the first time since the 1999 season. Rockets win the Southwest Division for the first time. 2015 Western Conference First Round Rockets 4–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets, 3–0 Rockets 92–87 3rd postseason series. 2015–16 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 94–89 2016–17 Rockets 4–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 98–89 Rockets finish with a winning record at Dallas for the first time since the 1998 season. 2017–18 Rockets 4–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets, 2–0 Rockets 102–89 Rockets record their 100th win over the Mavericks. Rockets win the Southwest Division. Rockets finish with the best record in the league (65–17). 2018–19 Tie 2–2 Tie, 1–1 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 104–91 Rockets win the Southwest Division. 2019–20 Rockets 2–1 Rockets, 1–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 106–92 On July 31, 2020, Rockets beat the Mavericks 153–149 in overtime, their most points scored in a game against the Mavericks. Rockets win the Southwest Division.
2020s (Mavericks, 11–4) Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Overall series Notes 2020–21 Rockets 2–1 Rockets, 1–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 108–93 Mavericks win the Southwest Division. 2021–22 Mavericks 4–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 108–97 Mavericks sweep the season series and finish with a winning record at Houston against the Rockets for the first time since the 2011 season. 2022–23 Mavericks 3–1 Tie, 1–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Rockets 109–100 Mavericks record their 100th win over the Rockets. 2023–24 Mavericks 3–1 Mavericks, 2–0 Tie, 1–1 Rockets 110–103 Mavericks win the Southwest Division. Mavericks lose 2024 NBA Finals. 2024–25 Rockets 1–0 Rockets, 1–0 TBD Rockets 111–103 Season ongoing
Summary of Results Season Season series at Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets Notes Regular season games Rockets 103–95 Mavericks, 52–46 Rockets, 56–43 Postseason games Tie 8–8 Tie, 4–4 Tie, 4–4 Postseason series Mavericks 2–1 Mavericks, 1–0 Tie, 1–1 Western Conference First Round: 1988, 2005, 2015 Regular and postseason Rockets 111–103 Mavericks, 56–50 Rockets, 60–47

See also

• National Basketball Association rivalries
• Governor's Cup (NFL rivalry between Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans)
• Lone Star Series (MLB rivalry between Houston Astros and Texas Rangers)
• Texas Derby (MLS rivalry between Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas)