The Dallas Mavericks will begin their journey to return to relevance in the Western Conference on Oct. 22 against the San Antonio Spurs, and they’ll conclude the season April 12 at home against the Chicago Bulls.

There are 80 games sandwiched between those two dates that will determine if Dallas reclaims its status as a contender.

Here’s an early look at the top 10 games from the Mavericks’ regular season schedule:

Related:6 takeaways from Dallas Mavericks’ 2025-26 schedule: When could Kyrie Irving return?

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Oct. 22 vs. Spurs

This one is self-explanatory. This game marks the first time Mavericks fans will get a chance to see their newcomers, Cooper Flagg and D’Angelo Russell, play alongside their signature favorites, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.

The Spurs will visit with a revamped young squad that includes Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper.

Who will start? What will the rotations be like? Who’s left out? This is the first chance to find out the answers to those questions.

Nov. 1 vs. Pistons (Mexico City)

The Mavericks will start the season with five straight games at American Airlines Center, but their first road game won’t be in the United States. Dallas will meet the Detroit Pistons for the NBA’s 2025 Mexico City Game on Nov. 1.

It’s the franchise’s eighth game in Mexico. The Mavericks previously defeated the Pistons 122-111 in Mexico City on Dec. 12, 2019. Detroit, led by Arlington’s Cade Cunningham, is coming off its first playoff appearance since 2019.

Here’s an interesting scheduling quirk: Because the Mexico City Game is considered a home game for the Pistons, this means the Mavs will not play in Detroit this season.

Nov. 3 at. Rockets

The Mavericks are scheduled to play against Houston, another Southwest Division rival, four times this season. The first will be the most significant because the Rockets will boast their retooled roster, headlined by Kevin Durant.

The Rockets finished second in the Western Conference last season and came up short in the first round of the playoffs, but they’re back with more offensive firepower by adding the former Texas Longhorn.

All three Texas teams (Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs) are positioned to do well in the Southwest Division and this matchup will offer a glimpse of competitive basketball whenever these teams clash.

Nov. 28 at Lakers

Luka Doncic’s name will dominate the conversation whenever the Lakers and Mavericks are mentioned in the same sentence. However, this game is all about Anthony Davis, who will play against his former team in Los Angeles for the first time since he was dealt to Dallas.

It’s an opportunity for Davis to be on the winning side of the matchup since the trade, as the Mavericks have dropped the first two games since Feb. 1.

There’s also an extra layer of prominence surrounding the meeting because it’s the Mavericks’ group cup finale in the NBA Cup. Depending on the records of both teams, there could be more on the line than pride. An opportunity to advance to the NBA Cup’s Knockout Rounds could be in play.

Dec. 25 at Warriors

When healthy, the Mavericks should be one of the most intriguing teams to watch. 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. tipoff and will be televised on (Ch. 8)/ESPN.

Jan. 19 at Knicks

The Mavericks will 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.

Related:Full Dallas Mavericks’ 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule releasedJan. 24 vs. Lakers

Doncic will return to American Airlines Center twice this season, but Jan. 24, 2026 is the first time he’ll return to play against his former team since his emotional homecoming game on April 9. Doncic scored 45 points in that game and helped his Lakers to a second straight win following the trade that landed him in Los Angeles.

The game, televised on ABC, shouldn’t bear the same heightened emotions as the first, but there will always be an extra level of significance when Doncic walks through the opposing tunnel at AAC.

Feb. 20 at Timberwolves

It’s almost guaranteed to be a good game anytime Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are pitted against the Mavericks on the schedule. The Mavericks will have played against Minnesota twice by the time this game rolls around, but this one bears significance because it’s the first game following the All-Star break. This is usually around the time when teams recognize the need to up their intensity to prepare for the playoffs.

A foe that’s appeared in back-to-back Western Conference finals should be a good test for the Mavericks, who are vying to return to the playoffs.

Dec. 5 vs. Thunder

The Mavericks have an early meeting with the defending world champion Thunder on Oct. 27, but the real test against Oklahoma City will be on Dec. 5. It’s a nationally televised game on Prime Video and will offer both teams an opportunity to find continuity after the first 23 games of the season.

Dallas was the only team in the NBA to defeat the Thunder multiple times last season and this game should serve as a measuring stick to see where they stand after the first quarter of the season.

March 6 at Boston

Jayson Tatum won’t be available for the Mavericks’ annual trip to Boston because of his torn Achilles, and perhaps not even Kyrie Irving, but there should be a lot of attention on this game for several reasons.

Cooper Flagg, who grew up a fan of the Celtics, was born and raised in Newport, Maine, which is just over a three-hour drive from Boston. That means the No. 1 overall pick will likely have several supporters in the building for his first game inside TD Garden.

These two teams will always be intertwined because of the 2024 NBA Finals. It remains to be seen whether the Mavericks will be fully healthy for this game, but there should be enough excitement for an early March meeting between two intriguing interconference rivals.

X/Twitter: @MikeACurtis2

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