Anthony Davis bounces back from rough game with 29 points as Mavs beat Rockets 122-109

DALLAS (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 29 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 122-109 on Saturday night to finish a back-to-back coming off a blowout loss at defending champion Oklahoma City.

Davis went 14 of 19 from the field a night after making just one of nine shots and scoring two points in 24 minutes in a 132-111 loss to the Thunder. It was fewest points of the 10-time All-Star's career when playing at least 20 minutes.

Kevin Durant scored 20 of his 27 points in the first half but ended up not playing in the fourth quarter after the Mavericks outscored Houston 37-20 in the third and took a 21-point lead early in the fourth. The game was tied at halftime.

Cooper Flagg had 19 points, and one of his three assists came on a nifty transition bounce pass to Ryan Nembhard for a 98-77 lead. Brandon Williams scored 20 points as the backup point guard to Nembhard, the rookie who had 11 points and seven assists in his sixth consecutive start, the first of his career.

P.J. Washington, who missed the previous four games after injuring his right ankle by landing on a loose ball during pregame warmups at the Los Angeles Clippers, had consecutive dunks during a 14-0 run in the third quarter and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five steals.

Naji Marshall beat the third-quarter buzzer with his only 3-pointer and scored 15 points.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points and Aaron Holiday added 19 for the Rockets, who were without forward Alperen Sengun on both nights of a back-to-back due to an illness.

Davis was 6 of 7 in the third quarter, when the Mavericks shot 73% (16 of 22).

Rockets: The Clippers at home on Thursday.

Mavericks: Brooklyn at home on Friday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams (10) dunks in front of Houston Rockets defenders Jabari Smith Jr. (10), Aaron Holiday (0) and Amen Thompson (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) goes up to shoot against Dallas Mavericks defenders D'Angelo Russell (5), P.J. Washington (25) and Dwight Powell (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) slam-dunks against Houston Rockets defenders Josh Okogie (20), Aaron Holiday, front right, and Isaiah Crawford (27) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) smiles near Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in Dallas, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Canada beat Slovenia 3-1 to make it five wins from five games at the ice hockey world championship on Friday.

Emmitt Finnie led with a goal and an assist and Denton Mateychuk and Dylan Cozens also scored. Jet Greaves stopped 13 shots as Canada outshot Slovenia 32-14.

Mateychuk, playing in his first worlds, skated to the top of the left circle before shooting past Slovenia goaltender Zan Us at 11:07 in the opening period.

Cozens added the second from the slot with 6:46 remaining in the middle period for his third goal in Switzerland. Sidney Crosby bagged his sixth assist at the tournament.

Finnie made it 3-0 by deflecting in a shot by Morgan Rielly from the blue line in the final period.

Rozle Bohinc scored a consolation goal for Slovenia with 1:05 left.

Canada tops Group B in Fribourg with Slovakia trailing by three points. The teams meet on Sunday.

Canada has won four games in regulation and one in overtime.

In a Group A in Zurich, Germany downed Hungary 6-2 for its first victory at the worlds after four defeats. Leon Gawanke sparked the Germans with a hat trick.

Later Friday, Finland played Britain in Zurich and Sweden faced Italy in Fribourg.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Canada's Sidney Crosby, left, vies for the puck against Slovenia's Miha Bericic, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Emmitt Finnie, left, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, right, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Dylan Cozens, second right, celebrates his goal with his teammates Canada's Canada's Macklin Celebrini, left, Sidney Crosby, left, and Canada's Denton Mateychuk, right, centre, after scoring during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us, left, concedes his second goal past Slovenia's Blaz Gregorc, right, and Canada's Sidney Crosby, center, during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Canada's Emmitt Finnie, right, clashes against Slovenia's goaltender Zan Us during a preliminary round game between Canada and Slovenia at the men's ice hockey world championship in Fribourg, Switzerland, Friday May 22, 2026. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)