Mavericks–Rockets rivalry

The Mavericks–Rockets rivalry also known as the Battle of Texas, and the I-45 Rivalry is a National Basketball Association rivalry between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets.
As of the end of the 2026 NBA season, the Rockets lead the regular season series, 107–98. The two teams have met three times in the playoffs, with the Mavericks holding a 2–1 series record.

History

The Mavericks played their inaugural season in 1980, joining the Rockets in Texas, who had moved to Houston in the 1972 NBA season. Both teams joined the San Antonio Spurs as the three NBA teams in Texas. The teams first faced each other on October 29, 1980. Houston won the first matchup 109-103.
The teams first met in the playoffs in 1988 in the first round. The Mavericks, the third seed, defeated the Rockets, the sixth seed, in five games.
On April 11, 1995, the Mavericks defeated the Rockets 156–147 in double overtime. Two years later, the Rockets and Mavericks played the first-ever regular season game played in Mexico City, which was won by the Rockets 108–106.
In 2005, the teams would meet again in the postseason. Houston, the fifth seed, took a 2-0 series lead over the fourth seeded Mavericks, but lost the series in seven games.
During the 2013 NBA Playoffs, then Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey exchanged posts on Twitter. In the 2014 offseason former Rockets forward Chandler Parsons signe an offer sheet to leave the Rockets to for the Mavericks for $46 million, while making negative statements about the city of Houston upon leaving.
Both teams met in the first round of the 2015 NBA playoffs, with the Rockets as the second seed and Mavericks the seventh seed, with Rockets winning the series in five games.