Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Bruno Fernando enjoys career night as Rockets fall to Mavericks

Two nights after a feel-good win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets didn’t seem to have the same magic on Friday versus All-Star guard Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic had a game-high 30 points and 14 rebounds during a 113-100 win (box score) by the visiting Mavericks at Toyota Center, which improved them to 41-26 and the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference standings. With the loss, Houston (17-50) remains in last place in the West.

Rockets rookies Jalen Green (11 points, 6 assists) and Alperen Sengun (6 points, 6 assists) — the latter starting in place of Christian Wood, who missed his third straight game with an illness — weren’t able to recapture their dynamic form from two nights earlier.

But with Sengun plagued by defensive woes and foul trouble, third-year center Bruno Fernando — who has barely played since being acquired at the trade deadline from Boston as a salary fill-in of the Daniel Theis trade — was a clear bright spot off the bench with a career-high 16 points (8-of-8 shooting), 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks in just 23 minutes.

Starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. and reserve guard Josh Christopher each tied for Houston’s scoring lead with 17 points.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.