The Mavericks are walking into the new season with little room for error, and the first eight games don’t exactly offer a soft landing.
There’s a real case to be made that Dallas faces the toughest opening stretch in the NBA. That’s not the kind of welcome a team loaded with uncertainty wants to see.
It starts Wednesday in Houston, where the Rockets are coming off a 52-30 season and a fifth-place finish in the West. That game also kicks off a brutal early run that includes four road games in the first eight, a sharp contrast from last season, when Dallas opened with six straight at home before making its first trip away.
That first road game last year? Also against Houston.
From there, the schedule gets nastier in a hurry.
Dallas heads to Indiana on Friday to face a Pacers team getting Tyrese Haliburton back after he tore his ACL in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. He returns alongside All-Star teammate Pascal Siakam, giving Indiana back one of the league’s best one-two combinations.
Then comes the Mavericks’ first home game, and it arrives on the second night of a back-to-back against San Antonio. The Spurs swept the season series last year.
After that, Dallas is off to South Beach for the first edition of the Klay Thompson bowl. Miami’s roster now includes former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo alongside All-Star Bam Adebayo. Throw in Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Bobby Portis, and the Heat look like they could have the best defensive rotation in basketball.
Game 6 brings NBA Cup Group Play, and for the first time this season, Dallas will see a team it has already faced: the Rockets.
The schedule briefly eases up after that, with Sacramento coming to town. The Kings are looking for an identity after losing Ben Simmons to a torn Achilles tendon.
But the break doesn’t last long. Dallas closes out the eight-game opening stretch with another meeting against San Antonio, this time on the road.
And that’s before even getting into the league-leading 16 back-to-backs Dallas will play over the course of the season.
If the Mavericks can come out of this opening run at 5-3, or even 4-4, that would count as a strong early lift for the rest of the year.
In Other News...
Dwight Powells Mavericks Run Is Over And Fans Want Answers
Dwight Powells long Mavericks run has come to an end, and for a player who spent years as one of the more familiar faces on the roster, the timing made the news land with a little extra weight. Dallas waived Powell along with guards Seth Lundy and John Poulakidas, closing the book on a tenure that saw Powell become one of the franchises steadiest presences and a part of multiple playoff pushes.
Dusty May praised Powells professionalism and the way he contributed to the team, which only sharpened the sense that this was a meaningful move rather than a routine roster shuffle. Powell ranks fifth in team history in games played, so any exit like this naturally invites questions about what comes next for the frontcourt and how the Mavericks are shaping their depth chart as they keep moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Make A Surprising Guard Move Right Before Opening Night
Just before opening night, the Mavericks added another young guard to a roster that is still taking shape around rookie Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Walter Clayton Jr., a former first-round NBA draft pick and the 2025-26 NCAA mens basketball national champion, is heading to Dallas on a two-way deal after his time with the Memphis Grizzlies ended.
The fit also comes with a familiar face. Clayton is reuniting with coach Dusty May, who once recruited him in college, giving the Mavericks a connection point as they keep sorting out the back end of a rebuilding roster. For a team looking for upside and flexibility, Clayton arrives with a fresh opportunity and a chance to make the most of a late move before the season gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Take A Needed Backcourt Flier Behind Kyrie Irving
The Mavericks added another name to the backcourt mix by bringing in Walter Clayton Jr. on a two-way deal, a move that gives them a little more insulation behind Kyrie Irving. Clayton arrives with a reputation for playmaking and enough promise from his college run to make him an intriguing depth piece, especially for a roster that can never really have too many ball-handlers when the games tighten up.
For Dallas, the appeal is in the possibility, not the certainty. Clayton is still in the early part of his pro career, but the Mavericks clearly see a chance to develop a guard who can handle some point-guard duties and give the team another option when Irving needs help or rest. To clear the way, the front office made a corresponding roster move, underscoring how small margins can be when a team is trying to shore up its bench. [Read more 🡒]