--- title: "Rockets vs. Mavericks: Undefeated Houston opens NBA Cup play against Dallas" description: "Houston arrives at 5-0 for its first Emirates NBA Cup game, and a long injury report could shape the night." url: https://sports.skoop.news/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mav--10-30/ published: 2026-11-02T15:41:41.619064-05:00 modified: 2026-11-02T15:41:41.619111-05:00 section: "Sports" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["San Antonio Spurs", "NBA Cup", "Reed Sheppard", "Steven Adams", "Space City Home Network", "Emirates NBA Cup", "OKC", "Rockets'", "VanVleet"] hashtags: ["#SanAntonioSpurs", "#NBACup", "#ReedSheppard", "#Nba", "#sports"] image: https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats%2C_April_2019_-04.jpg/1280px-Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats%2C_April_2019_-04.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail --- # Rockets vs. Mavericks: Undefeated Houston opens NBA Cup play against Dallas > Houston arrives at 5-0 for its first Emirates NBA Cup game, and a long injury report could shape the night. Published 2026-11-02 · Updated 2026-11-02 · Sports, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - The Houston Rockets are 5-0, and they put that record on the line against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, October 30, at 7:00 PM CT. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) - Houston beat the Milwaukee Bucks 132-100 to stay undefeated before this game. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) - Alperen Sengun was listed as questionable with low back soreness. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) ## A 5-0 team meets a 3-2 team The Houston Rockets are 5-0, and they put that record on the line against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, October 30, at 7:00 PM CT. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) The Mavericks entered the game with a 3-2 record. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) The game is the Rockets' first Emirates NBA Cup game of the season. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) If you want to watch, it is shown on Space City Home Network. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) ## How both teams got here Houston beat the Milwaukee Bucks 132-100 to stay undefeated before this game. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) The Rockets were 13-4 to begin last season. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) Dallas beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-96, with Cooper Flagg scoring 26 points. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) The win handed OKC its first loss of the season. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Dallas is 3-1 since the opening night matchup, with its only loss coming to the San Antonio Spurs. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) The Rockets were favored by 5.5 points. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) ## The injury report Alperen Sengun was listed as questionable with low back soreness. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Marcus Smart was listed as questionable with a left forearm strain, and Naji Marshall was listed as questionable due to illness. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Tarik Biberovic was listed as doubtful with right heel bursitis. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Caleb Martin was listed as available despite a right thumb splint. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Steven Adams was ruled out with a right soleus strain. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Reed Sheppard was ruled out with low back soreness. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Sergio de Larrea was ruled out with a right knee sprain. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Quadir Copeland was ruled out while on a G League two-way assignment. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Both teams are likely to have a starting big-man and a backup big-man sidelined. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) ## Adams and the earlier Dallas meeting Steven Adams had not played in about a week, since the October 23 game against the San Antonio Spurs. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Before that, he sat out for two weeks after the October 9 preseason opener. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) In the previous Dallas meeting, Dallas shot 60% from the field and scored at will while the Rockets were missing Sengun, Adams and VanVleet. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) The Rockets exercised Reed Sheppard's fourth-year team option, keeping him in Houston for the 2027-2028 season. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) ## What it means for you If you are following the NBA Cup, this is Houston's first Cup game of the season. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Under the NBA Cup rules described, a 4-0 record guarantees a spot in the Cup playoffs. [[2]](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) Check the status of Sengun, Smart and Marshall, who were each listed as questionable. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) Adams and Sheppard were ruled out. [[1]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) ## Sources 1. [October 30th Injury Report for Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/rockets/game-day/october-30th-injury-report-for-houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks) — roundtable.io 2. [Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks game preview ft. the NBA Cup!](https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-previews/42192/houston-rockets-vs-dallas-mavericks-game-preview) — thedreamshake.com Image: Photo (illustrative): Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats,_April_2019_-04.jpg) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. How we work: https://skoop.news/how-we-work/ · Corrections: https://skoop.news/corrections/