The NBA’s 2026-27 schedule is almost here, and with it comes the first big question for Mavericks fans: who gets the opening-night spotlight in Dallas?
Marc Stein reported Wednesday that the full schedule is expected to drop next week, so the league’s opening slate should be taking shape soon. Dallas has been part of a familiar early-season pattern lately, starting the last three seasons against the San Antonio Spurs.
That run may be over now. San Antonio’s Finals trip has pushed it into a different class, and the league is more likely to hand the Spurs a showcase opener against a heavyweight like Oklahoma City or defending champion New York.
That opens the door for a few different possibilities for the Mavericks.
One of the most appealing options is the Charlotte Hornets. That matchup would keep alive one of the league’s best young rivalries, and it would also bring back a game that already delivered plenty of drama.
On Jan. 29 last season, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel - former Duke teammates - were at the center of one of the year’s most memorable contests. Flagg put up 49 points, the most ever by a teenager in NBA history, while Knueppel countered with 34 points and the game-winning free throws in a 123-121 Charlotte win.
An opener like that would give Flagg an immediate shot at revenge.
Minnesota is another name that makes sense. A Mavericks-Timberwolves opener would revive the 2024 Western Conference finals matchup and also put a spotlight on Minnesota’s revamped roster after it acquired LaMelo Ball to team with Anthony Edwards. That Ball-Edwards backcourt would be a real early test for Kyrie Irving, who would be making his first regular-season appearance since coming back from a torn ACL.
Then there’s Washington, which brings its own clean storyline. Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, would be lined up against AJ Dybantsa, the 2026 No. 1 overall pick, in a meeting of two of the league’s brightest young names.
It would also be Anthony Davis’ first game against Dallas since the trade that sent him to Washington. That alone would give the matchup plenty of pull, no matter where the league places it.
And of course, the NBA always leaves room for a surprise. Flagg has already become one of the league’s most marketable young players, and Irving’s return only adds to the buzz around Dallas. A national TV opener remains very much in play if the league wants to put the Mavericks on a bigger stage.
Either way, the wait is almost over.
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