Dallas will have to manage Kyrie Irving carefully after his ACL recovery, with 16 back-to-backs and a demanding early-season stretch waiting for him.
DALLAS - The wait is nearly over for Kyrie Irving.
After tearing his ACL in March 2025 and sitting out the entire 2025-26 season, the veteran guard is set to return to the floor when the Mavericks open the new season. But the schedule the NBA released Thursday makes one thing clear. Dallas will not ease into anything, and neither will Irving.
The Mavericks’ 2026-27 slate features 16 back-to-backs, tied with the Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans for the most in the league. One of those 16 arrives almost immediately.
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After opening the season on the road against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21, Dallas will play the first game of its first back-to-back Friday, Oct. 23, traveling to Indiana to face the Pacers before turning around and flying home for the home opener against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Oct. 24.
An early road-to-home back-to-back in the season’s first week is exactly the kind of test that raises questions for a player returning from a major knee injury. Back-to-backs are demanding for any player, but they carry extra weight for someone coming off ACL surgery, when load management and rest are critical parts of the recovery process. Seeing Irving suit up for both ends of that early back-to-back would be a surprise, and Dallas has every reason to be cautious with him early in the season.
That is where the uncertainty comes in. It is far too early to know exactly how the Mavericks will handle Irving’s minutes and rest days across those 16 back-to-backs. The organization has been deliberate and patient with his recovery, choosing to sit him for the entirety of last season rather than rush him back. That same caution figures to define how Dallas handles the schedule. Whether Irving plays the second night of the Indiana-San Antonio set or any other back-to-back throughout the year will likely be a decision made closer to game time based on how his body responds.
Training camp will begin to reveal some of those answers. As the Mavericks ramp up and Irving returns to full-contact work, the coaching staff and medical team will gain a clearer picture of what his body can handle.
Dusty May, entering his first season as an NBA head coach, will have to balance getting his star guard back into rhythm with the long-term goal of keeping him healthy for a full season and beyond. Those conversations will play out during camp before any of it becomes real on the court.
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The good news is Dallas has built enough depth to withstand a measured approach with Irving. The Mavericks reshaped their roster this offseason with newcomer Marcus Sasser and a crowded backcourt and wing rotation. Which gives May options on nights when Irving sits. There is no need to overextend him early when the bigger picture matters most.
The back-to-backs will not let up as the season goes on either. Dallas will play a season-high 17 games in January alone, and the schedule includes a five-game road trip in March through Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Lakers, the Clippers and Minnesota. Managing Irving’s workload through those stretches will be one of the defining storylines of the season.
