The Dallas Mavericks' 2026-27 schedule is out. Here are 10 takeaways on national TV, NBA Cup play, Luka Dončić, LeBron James and more.
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks released their 2026-27 regular season schedule Thursday. Dallas opens Oct. 21 on the road against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets, then hosts Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24.
The upcoming season will be the 47th in franchise history and the 26th at American Airlines Center. Dallas opens on the road for the first time since 2023-24 after beginning each of the last two seasons at home.
The Mavericks have 21 national television games, 16 back-to-backs and two December games that still need opponents.
Here are 10 takeaways from the schedule release. All times CT.
Houston Keeps Showing Up
Dallas will see Houston three times before the end of October.
The first comes in the preseason Oct. 9 at The Venetian Arena in Macao as part of the NBA China Games. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT.
Dallas visits Houston again for the regular season opener Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Rockets then come to American Airlines Center on Oct. 30 for the Mavericks' first Emirates NBA Cup game.
The teams have two more regular season meetings. Dallas goes back to Houston on Jan. 1 and hosts the Rockets on Jan. 31 on NBC.
The 7 P.M. Tip-Off Returns
Most Mavericks home games are back to a 7 p.m. start.
Of the 40 home games with set times, 26 are scheduled for 7 p.m. Only two currently begin at 7:30.
Six home games start at 8:30 p.m. Dallas also has one 6:30 p.m. home game and five afternoon games.
The local broadcast schedule has not been announced.
Dallas Stays in the National Spotlight
Dallas has 21 games scheduled for national television.
NBC carries eight. ESPN has six, Prime Video has four, Peacock has two and ABC has one.
The ABC game is Feb. 28 against Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center.
Cooper Flagg enters his second NBA season after winning Rookie of the Year. Kyrie Irving is expected back after missing the entire 2025-26 season because of the torn left ACL he suffered in March 2025.
Dusty May also begins his first season as Mavericks coach.
Two December Dates Stay Open
Two regular season opponents remain undetermined.
The open spots come during the Emirates NBA Cup knockout portion of the schedule. Regular season games are scheduled around the tournament on Dec. 6, 7 and 10.
The NBA Cup championship is Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Dallas will know those two opponents after group play ends in late November.
The NBA Cup Road Gets Tougher Late
Houston, Utah, Denver and Phoenix make up the Mavericks' group.
Dallas hosts Houston on Oct. 30 and Utah on Nov. 6. Darryn Peterson, the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is scheduled to make his first appearance at American Airlines Center in the Utah game.
The final two group games are on the road.
Dallas visits Nikola Jokić and Denver on Nov. 24 on NBC. Three days later, the Mavericks play Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns.
Dallas advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals in 2024 before losing to Oklahoma City.
January Is the Grind
The Mavericks play 17 games in January.
That is their largest total for any month.
Dallas plays in Memphis on Jan. 10 and Jan. 12 before continuing the road trip at Detroit and New York.
The Mavericks have 16 back-to-backs for the season. Eight are road-road sets and four are entirely at home. Three begin on the road and end in Dallas, while one starts at home before a road game the following night.
March Means Living Out of a Suitcase
Ten of Dallas' final 15 games are on the road.
The longest road trip begins March 17 and lasts five games. Dallas visits Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota.
Four of those teams reached the playoffs last season.
The trip ends March 24 in Minnesota. Dallas then has five road games remaining over the rest of the regular season.
Luka, Curry and Brunson Arrive in Five Days
Three of the biggest home dates fall within five days.
Dončić and the Lakers visit Feb. 28 on ABC. The game falls on Dončić's 28th birthday.
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are in Dallas on March 2. Jalen Brunson and the defending NBA champion New York Knicks follow March 4.
The Lakers also host Dallas on March 21 and April 6. The Mavericks play Golden State three times during the season and host New York once.
Philadelphia Brings LeBron and Jaylen Brown
The Philadelphia 76ers visit Dallas on Feb. 15 for a 1:30 p.m. Presidents Day game on NBC.
LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are both on Philadelphia's roster. Brown arrived in the offseason trade that sent Paul George to Boston. James signed with the Sixers later in July.
Philadelphia also has Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his only trip to Dallas on Dec. 29 with the Miami Heat.
Cade Cunningham and Detroit visit Jan. 29. Oklahoma City comes to Dallas twice, on Oct. 28 and Jan. 18.
Tickets Went on Sale With the Schedule
Single-game tickets went on sale Thursday when the schedule was released.
It marked the first time in more than a decade that Dallas put individual games on sale the same day as the schedule announcement.
The initial sales window runs through Saturday at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Chase cardholders received early access Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4:59 p.m. through the Mavericks' partnership with JPMorganChase.
