What's Mavs' Starting Lineup? How to Watch, Odds & Notebook For Opener at Rockets

The Dallas Mavericks begin the regular season with a road contest on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, the same team against whom they split a two-game series in Macao, China, during preseason play.

The Mavs enter an era of change with new front office leadership, a new head coach, and seven newcomers on the floor - not including Kyrie Irving, who returns from missing all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL.

Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg returns for the Mavs after a historic debut season, which represents the torch leading Mavs fans into the future with more optimism than you'd expect about an organization that won just 26 games a year ago.

Here are some key storylines to pay attention to as Dallas gets the new year underway.

MICHIGAN MEN: Dallas selected Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick in this summer's draft. The pick came just a day after Mavs president Masai Ujiri landed Michigan head coach Dusty May, who, at 49 years old, assumes his first NBA job.

Johnson is nursing shin splints at the end of the preseason, but is expected to be an aggressive style on both ends of the floor that helped the Wolverines win the national championship last college hoops season.

"Rez, like a lot of young guys, just needs game reps because of how aggressive he is to the ball," May said. "He’s physical. He’s aggressive. He’s going to be in the mix.

"And because of that, he’s going to make some things happen, and also the extra possessions he’s going provide for us - the offensive rebounds, the loose basketballs - that and his defensive tenacity are the areas he can really impact this team."

May is accustomed to the challenge of turning around a program. He took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four before hoisting the national title at Michigan in just his second season at the helm.

The NBA presents unique challenges, but May is ready for them.

"I think we have a team that’s going to compete. I think we have a team that’s going to be extremely connected, and when our fans leave the building, they’re going to be bigger fans because of how relatable [the Mavs’ players] are and how they interact with each other," May said.

"But as far as a win total or anything like that [for this season], I have no idea. I don’t know the league well enough. I know we’re going to work like crazy to chase a championship and hang a banner in our building."

THE STARTING 5: May, just a few days ago, was unclear about his starters beyond Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.

But now it's time.

Let's roll with ... 

FLAGG RAISING: The NBA isn't "new" to Flagg anymore, but this year will almost feel like another rookie environment as Dallas figures out how to build around the teenage star.

Irving's return will certainly take a responsibility load off of Coop's shoulders, which will help his overall production. Though they're are getting acclimated with one another in basketball terms, the two experienced life together during last season, and Irving's veteran leadership is a core part of the Mavs' identity.

"Our culture here is something we’ve been talking a lot about this offseason," Flagg said this week. "New culture, new coach; we’re looking forward to building a foundation for something in the future. I’m just looking forward to changing the narrative and flipping the script back the right way. It’s not going to be easy. We have to take it."

Flagg became the first and only rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals in a season. After averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, it's not hyperbole to say the sky's the limit for the new Mavs star. The team, however, is hoping to get playoff experience under their belt to initiate this rebuild.

"We want to be playing meaningful games late in the season," May said. "Whatever that means will be determined by health and how much we improve. Now, the league’s done a great job of trying to make every game meaningful. So to be playing in the most meaningful games late in the season is our goal."

WHO: Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets

WHERE: Toyota Center | Houston, TX

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 21 | 7:30 p.m. CT

TV: WFAA and KFAA-29 (Dallas), NBA League Pass, MavsTV streaming

RADIO: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (Dallas)

Betting odds courtesy of DraftKings

SPREAD: Houston -10.5 (-105), Dallas +10.5 (-115)

TOTAL: o229.5 (-108), u229.5 (-112)

MONEYLINE: Houston -455, Dallas +350