Sengun's Triple-Double and a Durant Question Ahead of the…

By the Rockets Nightly Desk · Saturday, October 10

Alperen Sengun posted the Rockets' first triple-double of the preseason in a 135-117 win over Dallas, while Kevin Durant sits day-to-day with a non-injury issue. Houston faces the Mavericks again on October 11 with Durant's return still pointed toward the following game.

Rockets Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Last season

Last season Houston finished 52-30 with a net rating of positive 5.4, an offense that ranked eighth and a defense that ranked fifth leaguewide. Dallas finished 26-56 at negative 5.2 with a 115.5 defensive rating, the kind of profile Friday's margin reflected.

2026-10-09

Houston's preseason debut was a rout: 135-117 over Dallas, built on five separate unanswered scoring runs of nine points or more for a 28-point cushion. Tari Eason led with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting off the bench, Fred VanVleet added 17 on 5-of-12 from three, and Alperen Sengun ran the offense from the center spot: 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists on 6-of-9 shooting in just 22 minutes.

This week

Kevin Durant is day-to-day for a reason listed as not injury related, with an estimated return of October 15 against Oklahoma City. That means the rematch with Dallas on October 11 is in question for him, a notable absence given he shot 7-of-12 in the opener and carried a plus-11 mark in 23 minutes.

2026-10-11

Dallas and Houston meet again October 11 on NBA TV, still preseason, so neither team's record moves regardless of the result. Cooper Flagg managed only 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting and a minus-15 in the opener; expect Dusty May to lean harder on his starters this time, and watch whether Durant is cleared in time to play.

This month

The preseason slate continues October 15 against Oklahoma City, then Houston opens the regular season October 21 against Dallas for the third time in under two weeks, before heading to San Antonio October 23 on Prime Video. The next four games, against three different opponents, will say more about rotations than any single preseason score.

Next The rematch with Dallas tips off October 11 on NBA TV, still preseason; Houston's next clear marker after that is the regular-season opener October 21, also against the Mavericks.

Is Kevin Durant playing in the Rockets' next game against Dallas?

Durant is day-to-day with a non-injury issue and his estimated return is October 15 against Oklahoma City, which puts the October 11 rematch with Dallas in question.

Did Alperen Sengun have a triple-double against Dallas?

Yes. Sengun had 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists on 6-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes in Houston's 135-117 preseason win on October 9.

By the Rockets Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.