Cooper Flagg’s drive past Harrison Barnes in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ 139-120 win in San Antonio set the tone for the Dallas Mavericks’ showdown against the Spurs at the American Airlines Center tonight. Both teams enter the game 0-1 in the 2026-27 season, aiming to avoid falling behind early in the season.
The Spurs will start De’Aaron Fox at point guard, Stephon Castle at shooting guard, Dylan Harper at small forward, Devin Vassell at power forward, and Victor Wembanyama at center. Wembanyama, who stands 7-foot-4 and is in his fourth NBA season, leads the Spurs in rebounds with 13.0 per game and blocks with six per game. Fox tops the team in assists, averaging seven, while Castle leads in points with 24.0 per game. Notably, Wembanyama recorded six blocks in the Spurs’ season opener against the Thunder on Tuesday, marking his 55th career game with five or more blocks.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup features Kyrie Irving at point guard, Max Christie at shooting guard, Cooper Flagg at small forward, P.J. Washington Jr. at power forward, and Daniel Gafford at center. Flagg, in his second season and standing 6-foot-9, leads the Mavericks in scoring with 32.0 points per game. Last season, Flagg made NBA history by joining Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals. The Mavericks also rely on Zaccharie Risacher for rebounds and steals, averaging six rebounds and five steals per game, while Naji Marshall leads the team in assists with six per game.
The Spurs hold a 120-87 advantage in the all-time regular season series against Dallas, having won the last five meetings, including a 4-0 sweep last season. The teams will look to gain an early edge in this season’s matchup.
The Mavericks are without several players due to injuries, including Santi Aldama (knee surgery), Tarik Biberović (heel bursitis), Jeff Howard (calf tightness), Dereck Lively II (foot surgery), and Caleb Martin (thumb sprain). The Spurs have Tobias Harris sidelined with a left calf strain and Jayden Quaintance recovering from right knee surgery.
Coaches Mitch Johnson for the Spurs and Dusty May for the Mavericks will face off in their first meeting this season. Johnson’s Spurs will rely heavily on Wembanyama’s defensive presence and Castle’s scoring, while May will look to Flagg to lead Dallas in all facets of the game.
Tonight’s game will be broadcast on DAZN and radio stations 1200 AM, 1350 AM (Spanish), and 107.5 FM (Spanish). The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.
The matchup promises another chapter in the Spurs’ dominance over the Mavericks, but with Flagg’s emergence as a multi-category leader and Wembanyama’s shot-blocking impact, the contest is set to be a compelling test for both teams early in the season.
According to Yahoo Sports.
