Some of the most important days on the NBA’s 2025-26 regular season schedule will feature the new-look Dallas Mavericks.

The NBA revealed Tuesday morning marquee matchups for opening week, Christmas Day and MLK Day. The Mavericks are part of the select group of teams who will receive the opportunity to play in front of a national audience.

For the third consecutive year, the Mavericks will open the season against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The game will be held Oct. 22 at American Airlines Center — the second straight year the Mavericks will host the Spurs at home — and will tip off at 8:30 p.m.

The first matchup between the longtime Southwest Division rivals will also mark the NBA debut of Cooper Flagg, the versatile two-way forward who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The Spurs selected Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the second pick.

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The matchup between Flagg and Harper will mark the second time since 1966 that the top two picks in the same NBA draft will face each other in the first career regular season game for both players. The previous instance was in a 2015 showdown between Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell, a veteran point guard who signed with the Mavericks this summer as a free agent.

Dallas’ season opener is the second game of an ESPN doubleheader that also features a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks.

When healthy, the Mavericks should be one of the most intriguing teams to watch thanks to a loaded roster that includes Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Flagg, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford. The NBA recognized that by rewarding them with their sixth consecutive Christmas Day game.

Dallas will travel to San Francisco to play against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. The game has a 4 p.m. tip-off and will be televised on (Ch. 8)/ESPN.

Last but not least, the Mavericks will also play against the New York Knicks on MLK Day, which has become one of the league’s most anticipated days as teams across honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dallas will travel to the Big Apple on Jan. 19 to play its lone game at Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised on (Ch. 5)/Peacock and will begin at 4 p.m.

The NBA will release the full 2025-26 regular season schedule on Thursday.

Dallas Mavericks to host San Antonio Spurs for 2025-26 season openerDallas Mavericks to play Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day

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