Dallas Mavericks players huddle before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center on Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
Kyrie Irving’s first regular season game for the Dallas Mavericks since undergoing ACL surgery will be Oct. 21 against the Houston Rockets, jump-starting a highly anticipated pairing with Cooper Flagg.
The NBA unveiled the 2026-27 regular season schedule Thursday, ending a weeklong rollout of premier games.
The dynamic duo of Flagg and Irving will debut on the road, the first time the Mavericks will start the season away from American Airlines Center since the 2023-24 season. They’ll head to Indiana before returning to North Texas for the team’s home opener Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.
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It’s one of 16 times the Mavericks will play back-to-back games this season, including Nov. 14-15 in Cleveland and Boston and Dec. 16-17 in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, their first game against LeBron James and Jaylen Brown’s restructured 76ers. The 76ers will visit Dallas on Feb. 15 as part of the NBA’s first Presidents’ Day quadruple-header.
The season’s bookends won’t offer the Mavericks much support. A trip to Miami follows the home opener, with home games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Rockets to close out October. Then Dallas will play 10 of its final 15 games on the road.
Unlike previous years, the Mavericks will not be featured on national television during the NBA’s Opening Week from Oct. 20-23. After posting a 26-56 record last season, Dallas will play 21 games on national television, including four on Amazon Prime, seven on ESPN/ABC, eight on NBC and two on Peacock.
Related: 10 must-watch games on the Mavericks’ 2026-27 schedule
Only 80 of each team’s 82 games were revealed, with two dependent on the NBA Cup results. The Cup schedule was announced Wednesday, with the Mavericks opening the annual midseason tournament at home against the Rockets on Oct. 30 before hosting Utah on Nov. 6 and concluding group play in Denver on Nov. 24 and Phoenix on Nov. 27.
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Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers will visit Dallas on Feb. 28, and the Mavericks will travel to LA on March 21 and April 6.
Another notable game is set for March 11, when the Mavericks play the Washington Wizards and Anthony Davis for the first time since trading him in February. The game could also feature Trae Young and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, a rival of Flagg’s during their time as top-ranked high school prospects.
The season ends with a lot of
The Mavericks will play four preseason games, including two in Macao against the Houston Rockets as part of the 2026 NBA China Games.
For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the Mavericks are not playing on Christmas Day, ending a streak of six straight appearances on the national holiday.
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Instead, the NBA will showcase a star-studded slate that includes the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks; Miami Heat and Boston Celtics; 76ers and Lakers; Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves; and Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors.
Here is Dallas’ full regular-season schedule:
October
Wed. Oct. 21 at Houston, 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 23 at Indiana, 6 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 24 vs. San Antonio, 7 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 26 at Miami, 6:30 p.m.
Wed. Oct. 28 vs. Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Fri. Oct. 30 vs. Houston, 7 p.m.
November
Mon. Nov. 2 vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 4 at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Fri. Nov. 6 vs. Utah, 7 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 8 vs. Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.
Mon. Nov. 9 vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
Thu. Nov. 12 at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 14 at Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 15 at Boston, 5 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 18 vs. Golden State, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sat. Nov. 21 vs. L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 22 at Utah, 6 p.m.
Tue. Nov. 24 at Denver, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Fri. Nov. 27 at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
Mon. Nov. 30 vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
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December
Wed. Dec. 2 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
Mon. Dec. 14 vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 16 at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.
Thu. Dec. 17 at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 19 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 22 at Golden State, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)
Wed. Dec. 23 at Sacramento, 9 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 26 vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m.
Tue. Dec. 29 vs. Miami, 7 p.m. (NBC)
January
Fri. Jan. 1 at Houston, 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 2 at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 4 at New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 7 vs. Portland, 7 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 8 vs. Phoenix, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sun. Jan. 10 at Memphis, 5 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 12 at Memphis, 7 p.m.
Thu. Jan. 14 at Detroit, 6 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 16 at New York, 6:30 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 18 vs. Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 19 vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Fri. Jan. 22 at New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 23 vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 25 at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 27 at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 29 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 31 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
February
Tue. Feb. 2 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.
Thu. Feb. 4 at Denver, 9 p.m. (Prime)
Sat. Feb. 6 vs. Utah, 2 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 7 vs. L.A. Clippers, 3:30 p.m.
Tue. Feb. 9 vs. San Antonio, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Thu. Feb. 11 vs. Portland, 7 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 13 at Charlotte, 2 p.m. (Prime)
Mon. Feb. 15 vs. Philadelphia, 1:30 p.m. (NBC)
Wed. Feb. 17 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
Thu. Feb. 25 at Golden State, 9 p.m. (Prime)
Fri. Feb. 26 at Portland, 9 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 28 vs. L.A. Lakers, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)
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March
Tue. March 2 vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
Thu. March 4 vs. New York, 8:30 p.m. (Prime)
Mon. March 8 at Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m. (Peacock)
Tue. March 9 vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Thu. March 11 vs. Washington, 7 p.m.
Sat. March 13 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Mon. March 15 vs. Atlanta, 8:30 p.m. (Peacock)
Wed. March 17 at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Fri. March 19 at San Antonio, 7 p.m.
Sun. March 21 at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Mon. March 22 at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.
Wed. March 24 at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Fri. March 26 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Sun. March 28 at Washington, 5 p.m.
Mon. March 29 at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Wed. March 31 vs. Denver, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
April
Fri. April 2 vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.
Sun. April 4 vs. Minnesota, 2 p.m.
Tue. April 6 at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m.
Wed. April 7 at Portland, 9 p.m.
Fri. April 9 at Sacramento, 9 p.m.
Sun. April 11 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m.