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Don’t lose hope: Opening stretch of 2026-27 season is a brutal one for your Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks face a daunting opening stretch in the 2026-27 NBA season, as their first six opponents boast a combined record of 292-200 from last year. The schedule includes back-to-back games against the Houston Rockets (52-30), a matchup with the San Antonio Spurs (62-20)—who reached the NBA Finals—and a clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18), the only Western team with a better record than the Spurs.

The lone bright spot in this stretch is a game against the Indiana Pacers, who finished 19-63 last season but are now considered a dark-horse contender after adding Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. and with Tyrese Haliburton recovering from an Achilles tear suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals.

The Mavericks also must navigate a showdown with the Miami Heat, who overhauled their roster this offseason by landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell, and former Mavericks Tim Hardaway Jr. and Klay Thompson.

After a dismal 23-46 record last season—including a 3-10 start that led to the firing of then-GM Nico Harrison—the Mavs will need a strong bounce-back performance to avoid another sluggish beginning under first-year coach Cooper Flagg and a roster still transitioning under team president Masai Ujiri’s leadership.

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