{"id":154787,"date":"2025-08-14T23:56:41","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T03:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=154787"},"modified":"2025-08-14T23:57:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T03:57:57","slug":"5-key-games-every-mavericks-fan-should-look-forward-to-on-the-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/08\/14\/5-key-games-every-mavericks-fan-should-look-forward-to-on-the-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Key Games Every Mavericks Fan Should Care About On The Schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>DALLAS<\/strong> \u2013 The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/mavericks\/\" target=\"_self\">Dallas Mavericks<\/a> have unveiled their 2025-26 schedule, and with it, the anticipation for another run in the West begins. Their offseason was quiet, headlined only by the addition of <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/russeda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/a> on the taxpayer mid-level exception. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/i\/irvinky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyrie Irving\u2019s<\/a> return from injury is expected at some point, but until then, questions linger about their contender status. These key games on the Mavericks schedule reveal more than just dates. They offer storylines, grudges, and potential turning points. Here are five matchups every Dallas fan should circle in bold \u2014 plus one extra for those keeping score.<\/p>\n<h2>5 Key Games Every Mavericks Fan Should Care About On The Schedule<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Opening Night vs. San Antonio Spurs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The season starts with a Texas-sized showdown. The Mavericks host the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/spurs\/\" target=\"_self\">Spurs<\/a>, pitting two towering frontcourts against each other. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wembavi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victor Wembanyama<\/a> returns from a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis that cut short what could have been a Defensive Player of the Year season.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">IT\u2019S HERE\u203c\ufe0f Your 25-26 season schedule \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f ADD TO CAL \u2192 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QwnRZqq353\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/QwnRZqq353<\/a><a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ticketmaster?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@Ticketmaster<\/a> \/\/ <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#MFFL<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/s31aW8RomX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/s31aW8RomX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dallasmavs\/status\/1956074636665668072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 14, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The game also offers a rare rookie spectacle. Dallas\u2019 No. 1 overall pick <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/f\/flaggco01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cooper Flagg<\/a> will meet the Spurs\u2019 No. 2 pick <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/harpedy01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dylan Harper<\/a>. Both enter with massive hype, and their first meeting could be the spark for a rivalry that runs for years.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Luka Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s Return \u2014 Home vs. Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Some Mavericks fans still haven\u2019t forgiven the trade that sent <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/doncilu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a> to Los Angeles. The deal brought <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/davisan02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Davis<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/chrisma02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Max Christie<\/a> to Dallas and set up the tank that landed Flagg, but the emotions remain raw.<\/p>\n<p>Dallas traded Luka over conditioning concerns. He responded this offseason with a leaner, faster \u201cLuka 2.0,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/07\/28\/behind-luka-doncics-insane-weight-transformation\/\" target=\"_self\">transforming<\/a> his game and body. This will be his second game back in Dallas since the trade \u2014 and his first chance to match or surpass the 45 points he scored on his initial return.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Christmas Day Clash at Golden State Warriors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Another key game on the Mavericks schedule is a holiday headliner. On December 25, Dallas visits Golden State for a nationally televised matchup with extra bite.<\/p>\n<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/thompkl01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Klay Thompson<\/a> returns to Chase Center in Mavericks colors, facing his old team on the biggest stage of the regular season. The emotions, history, and stakes ensure this will be one of the most-watched games of the year.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>MLK Day at New York Knicks<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_144418\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-144418\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-144418\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Kyrie Irving\u2019s return could mark one of the five key games in the Mavericks schedule \" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_25572580_168415934_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-144418\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mar 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) is helped off the court by forward Anthony Davis (3) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>January 19, 2026, could mark <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/i\/irvinky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyrie Irving\u2019s<\/a> comeback from his ACL injury. The stage? Madison Square Garden on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.<\/p>\n<p>The day already carries weight in the NBA calendar. If Irving steps onto the Garden floor healthy, it adds another layer to an already meaningful game.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Final Regular Season Test vs. Oklahoma City Thunder<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The last reg. season meeting between both teams could feel like the first round of the playoffs. The defending champions come to Dallas in what could be a battle for seeding.<\/p>\n<p>By then, Irving will have been back for months, and the Mavericks will know if their roster can hang with the West\u2019s elite. This game could set the tone for their postseason fate.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Notable Mention \u2014 The NBA Cup Games<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Mavericks\u2019 NBA Cup group stage pits them against Memphis, New Orleans, the Clippers, and the Lakers. Four straight Friday nights in November will determine if Dallas can make the knockout stage.<\/p>\n<p>Every win matters this season. The in-season tournament gives Dallas an early chance to sharpen its edge and prove the Mavericks\u2019 key games matter beyond the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><label>Credit:<\/label>\u00a9 Candice Ward-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DALLAS \u2013 The Dallas Mavericks have unveiled their 2025-26 schedule, and with it, the anticipation for another run in the West begins. Their offseason was quiet, headlined only by the addition of D\u2019Angelo Russell on the taxpayer mid-level exception. Kyrie Irving\u2019s return from injury is expected at some point, but until then, questions linger about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":154863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,30,3],"tags":[50244,4674,5009],"class_list":["post-154787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-mavericks","category-news","tag-2025-26-nba-season","tag-nba-schedule","tag-schedule-release"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154787"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154872,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154787\/revisions\/154872"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}