Five games on the Mavericks’ 2026-27 schedule that we are most looking forward to

The 2026-27 NBA schedules have been out for about a week now. It’s true, the Dallas Mavericks are something of a question mark this season, but the team’s slate is still chock-full of appointment television. The season tips off on Wednesday, October 21st in Houston and concludes at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, April 11th.

In between lay 80 juicy NBA morsels ripe for the watching. Here are five dates that we think stand out on the schedule:

Advertisement

Oct. 21: Irving’s presumptive return

The season opener at the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21 is interesting for a number of reasons. It’s the start of Cooper Flagg’s second season, in which he could vault himself into another tier of stardom in the NBA. It will be our first look at Dusty May and his coaching philosophy as he transitions from a meteoric rise in the college game. Not to mention, our first look at Morez Johnson Jr., who played for May last year during the Michgan Wolverines’ NCAA title run.

But, make no mistake, all eyes will be on Kyrie Irving if the season opener is indeed his first game back after missing the entire 2025-26 season while rehabbing from a torn left ACL. How good can the 34-year-old be in his 15th NBA season?

Irving has looked nice in the workouts he and others have posted to social media, but those are workouts. What will he look like in an NBA game? Will the speed and footwork be intact early in the season, or will he have to work his way back into form? Questions will be answered.

Advertisement

Dec. 17: The next Superteam

Name recognition will not be an issue when the Mavericks travel to Philadelphia to play the new-look 76ers for the first time this season on Dec. 17. LeBron James. Jaylen Brown. Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey. VJ Edgecombe. This one could be an ugly result for Mavs fans, but it’s an opponent you simply don’t want to miss.

You may ask, why not Feb. 15, when the 76ers travel to Dallas? Couldn’t it, after all, be James’ final appearance at American Airlines Center? Yes. Yes, it could be. But for whatever reason, I’m choosing to believe that he will exercise the player option for his second season of the two-year…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/five-games-mavericks-2026-27-150028410.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-08-19 15:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.