The Dallas Mavericks wrap up their preseason schedule Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT, with coverage on KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream, and ESPN.
After a 114–101 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday, head coach Jason Kidd confirmed the Mavericks will once again use their jumbo lineup — a frontcourt-heavy group featuring Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, and Klay Thompson.
How to Watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 15
Time: 9:30 p.m. CT
Location: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, NV
TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream, ESPN
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Live Stats: NBA.com
Jason Kidd: “Everybody’s Minutes Will Go Up Tomorrow”
Following Tuesday’s practice in Las Vegas, Kidd said the team’s health is trending in the right direction.
“Caleb and Brandon Williams went through practice,” Kidd said. “The guys who didn’t were Danté Exum, Daniel Gafford, and Kyrie Irving.”
Asked if Caleb Martin could be available, Kidd added: “He went through practice today. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and then we’ll make that call, but I thought he did a good job for his first day back.”
Kidd explained that Dereck Lively II’s limited minutes against Utah were part of a planned workload.
“Yeah, everything is scripted,” Kidd said. “Lively had an eight-minute script with that first group to see him in that rotation. He did great. So yes, that was the plan to limit him yesterday.”
The focus now shifts to ramping up starters’ minutes ahead of the Oct. 22 opener in San Antonio.
“Yep, everybody’s minutes will go up tomorrow,” Kidd said. “Going into this being our last preseason game, we’ll try to get those guys extended minutes. Things were going well for AD, and we were looking to maybe get him into the fourth. Tomorrow, we’ll probably get everyone trending toward that fourth quarter.”
Even with extended minutes, Kidd emphasized that rotation experimentation will continue.
“Yeah, we’re going to continue looking at different combinations until the 21st,” he said. “Ryan [Nembhard] played a little earlier than normal, and I thought he did an incredible job. But yes, we’re going to keep trying different looks.”
Jason Kidd on Anthony Davis at Center: “It Looked Promising”
Kidd said the lineups featuring Anthony Davis at center produced strong results, especially on the defensive end.
“That first group was really good on both sides of the ball,” he said. “The pace was good, and defensively, to have a rating of 99 was really good. That means those guys were playing at a high level. AD at the five was a nice look — we hadn’t really looked at that yet. It looked promising. The four guys around him also looked good, so there’s a lot of different ways we can go. Everything was good yesterday, so now we’ll see if we can be consistent and carry it into tomorrow.”
When asked about the debate surrounding Davis’ position, Kidd responded candidly.
“I don’t really — who’s saying that?” he said with a laugh. “Everybody has an opinion and that’s cool, but we’ve got to do what’s best for us. AD can play any position, and we have a deep team. If he plays the four instead of the five, someone has to sit. Everybody can’t play at the same time. As we get healthy, we’ll have a deep team and hopefully that means we don’t have to lean on guys for heavy minutes. But right now, with some injuries, if him playing the five helps us win, then that’s what we have to do.”
Kidd also praised Ryan Nembhard’s continued readiness after a strong showing in Utah.
“Yeah, I think he’s shown that in training camp, not just yesterday,” Kidd said. “Yesterday, we put him in a position to see how he’d handle playing with some of the starters and rotation guys, and he did a great job. With some of the injuries we have, we might need to lean on him a bit, and I don’t think we’re afraid of that.”
Anthony Davis: “Energy Is High. We’re Continuously Working and Getting Better”
Anthony Davis, who had 25 points in 25 minutes against the Jazz, said the team’s morale remains high heading into the preseason finale.
“The vibe is good,” Davis said. “Energy is high. We’re continuously working and getting better each and every day.”
Davis, who has previously played in Las Vegas with the Lakers and Team USA, said returning with the Mavericks has been energizing.
“It’s always fun,” he said. “You see how successful teams here have been. Team USA has been coming here for a long time, and this arena is still fairly new. I’ve played here before during preseason with other teams, so it’s always good to play in front of Vegas fans. They always come out and support — great turnout, high energy, the crowd is into it. It’s always fun playing here.”
With six days until the regular-season opener, Davis said he feels confident in the team’s progress.
“I feel good,” he said. “Still got some things to clean up, still working on things, but overall, I think myself and the team feel really good about where we are.”
Anthony Davis on Adjustments and Conditioning
Davis said both ends of the floor remain a work in progress as the team adapts to new systems under assistant coach Jay Triano.
“Defensively, there are still some things we’ve got to clean up,” Davis said. “We’ve been fouling jump shooters too much — that’s something we don’t want to do. We’re still working through our schemes since they’re new for most guys. Offensively, Jay Triano’s system is new for all of us, so we’re still figuring out the kinks. But we’re moving the ball, sharing it, and I think we can be really good on both ends with the weapons we have. Each day is about coming in, getting better, and not skipping steps as we get ready for opening night.”
When asked about playing faster, Davis said conditioning is key.
“You’ve got to be in great shape,” he said. “It’s easy to talk about playing fast, but when you actually have to do it — constantly running, getting into your spots, moving — it takes a well-conditioned team.”
Cooper Flagg Continues at Point
Davis praised Cooper Flagg’s playmaking and composure as the 18-year-old continues to start at point guard while D’Angelo Russell remains out.
“He’s been really good,” Davis said. “He’s making great plays on both ends. He can handle the basketball, and with D’Angelo out, we wanted to let him run some point. He did a great job making reads — there are some things to improve, but that’s everyone. He’s definitely been a standout for us this preseason.”
Asked whether facing the Lakers still carries meaning, Davis smiled.
“No, not really,” he said. “That’s last year.”
What’s Next
The Lakers are playing the second night of a back-to-back after Tuesday’s matchup against Phoenix. Their key players’ availability remains uncertain.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, will use the finale to ramp up starters’ minutes and evaluate final rotation combinations before opening night against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 22.
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