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Thompson finished with 14 points (4-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block across 30 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Thompson delivered a versatile performance, leading all Houston players with six assists and finishing second with seven rebounds. Despite his shooting woes, Thompson's value will also come from his multi-category contributions rather than just his scoring prowess. On that note, he looks ready to go for the start of the 2026-27 regular season, where he should be a starter in the backcourt next to Fred VanVleet (rest).

Sheppard recorded 17 points (5-12 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 3-4 FT), a rebound, an assist, a steal and two blocks across 25 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Sheppard remained aggressive from beyond the arc, attempting 10 three-pointers, and his 17 points ranked second among Houston's starters. As good as he was as a three-point threat, Sheppard's five turnovers are troubling, especially since he's expected to have a sizable backcourt role off the bench as a secondary playmaker behind Fred VanVleet, who didn't play Sunday due to rest. Sheppard's upside in fantasy ahead of the 2026-27 regular season will rely heavily on his playing time, but his calling card will be his three-point shooting and secondary playmaking.

Smart finished with 20 points (7-13 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-3 FT), five rebounds, four assists and a block across 24 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason loss to the Mavericks.

Smart delivered a strong offensive performance and led all Houston players in scoring -- and it's worth noting each starter played over 20 minutes, so the Rockets are ramping up the workload for their rotation members. Smart is likely to open the season as a bench option but should handle sizable minutes because of his elite defense, three-point shooting and energy off the bench. This was an encouraging performance, but don't expect Smart to hover around the 20-point mark consistently once the regular season begins Oct. 21 in a rematch against Dallas.

Irving recorded 17 points (6-13 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 3-3 FT), two rebounds and three assists across 22 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason win over the Rockets.

Making his first appearances since suffering a torn ACL in March 2025, Irving led Dallas in scoring while shooting a respectable 46.2 percent from the field and knocking down two three-pointers. The veteran guard also distributed three assists without committing a turnover, demonstrating his usual composure as a ballhandler. Irving's 22-minute workload gave him a chance to build rhythm ahead of the regular season, and the goal is to have him as healthy and ready as possible for the campaign opener against the Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Risacher finished with 16 points (7-13 FG, 2-6 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block across 24 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason win over the Rockets.

Risacher delivered a productive offensive showing, connecting on seven of his 13 field-goal attempts, and the young forward also chipped in defensively with a steal and a block, finishing with a plus-7 rating. His three turnovers were a minor blemish, but he otherwise displayed encouraging scoring versatility. Risacher's ability to contribute from the perimeter while providing secondary defensive production gives Dallas another wing option, as he looks to deliver a bounce-back year in 2026-27 after a subpar sophomore season in 2025-26. Risacher is competing for minutes on the wing, but this performance is certainly a step in the right direction.

Flagg recorded 14 points (3-10 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 7-8 FT), four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block across 25 minutes in Sunday's 132-115 preseason win over the Rockets.

Flagg struggled with his shot but delivered an impressive playmaking performance, leading Dallas with seven assists and committing just two turnovers. Despite his shooting woes, Flagg still found a way to contribute offensively, getting to the free-throw line eight times. Even with Kyrie Irving in the backcourt, Flagg should be a key playmaking and scoring weapon for the Mavericks ahead of his second year in the league following an impressive rookie season in which he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.9 blocks and 1.2 steals across 33.5 minutes in 70 regular-season games.

Adams (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

Adams totaled two points (1-1 FG), three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 14 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over the Mavericks, marking his first game action since undergoing ankle surgery in January. The veteran center is expected to be the primary backup to Alperen Sengun this season.

Sengun (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

Sengun recorded 16 points (6-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 10 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and three blocks in 22 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over Dallas but will take a seat Sunday. Sengun is coming off another impressive year, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game across 72 regular-season appearances in 2025-26. However, the star center shot just 69.1 percent from the charity stripe and 30.5 percent from downtown. He's been focused on improving in those areas this offseason, and an uptick in efficiency would be a significant step toward becoming a more well-rounded player.

VanVleet (rest) isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Mavericks, Will Guillory of The Athletic reports.

VanVleet made his first appearance since suffering an ACL injury more than a year ago, finishing with 17 points (5-12 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 2-3 FT), seven assists, two rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes during Friday's 135-117 preseason win over Dallas. The veteran point guard will likely be limited throughout the 2026-27 season, but he's on track to be the starting point guard on Opening Night.

Sasser (adductor) won't play in Sunday's preseason game against the Rockets, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com reports.

Sasser will miss a second straight exhibition game due to left adductor soreness. It's unclear when he'll be cleared to play again, but Sasser has three more chances to suit up during the preseason, with his next chance coming Wednesday against the Pelicans.