DALLAS — The NBA season is set to start off with a bang, featuring the first clash of many between two of the league's future superstars.
Rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama, who some have dubbed the best NBA Draft prospect of all-time, will kick off his NBA career against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, according to NBA correspondent Marc Stein. The game between the Spurs and Mavs is slated for Oct. 25, according to Stein.
The NBA's full formal schedule is expected to be released next week, Stein said.
That's not the only marquee game being reported from the Mavs schedule, either.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Dallas will play the Phoenix Suns on Christmas Day, so get ready for the "Luka Special." The Mavs and Suns have become entertaining TV – to say the least – ever since the fiery seven-game playoff series in the Western Conference semifinals.
This marks the fourth straight season the Dallas Mavericks have played on Christmas Day. According to FanDuel, the Mavs are 3-3 in Christmas Day games (1-2 in the Luka Doncic era):
- 2003: Dallas Mavericks 111, Sacramento Kings 103
- 2008: Dallas Mavericks 102, Portland Trail Blazers 94
- 2011: Miami Heat 105, Dallas Mavericks 94
- 2020: Dallas Mavericks 115, Los Angeles Lakers 138
- 2021: Dallas Mavericks 116, Utah Jazz 120
- 2022: Los Angeles Lakers 115, Dallas Mavericks 124
With the regular season on the horizon, the Mavs are reportedly still looking for big men after acquiring two centers this offseason. ESPN's Tim MacMahon, a longtime Mavericks insider, joined the Locked On Mavericks podcast to discuss the latest trade talks Dallas is involved in.
Dallas reportedly looked into deals for Hawks center Clint Capela and Suns center Deandre Ayton the night of the NBA Draft but have backed off both pursuits. Still, the Mavs acquired veteran center Richaun Holmes on draft night and also selected Dereck Lively II at No. 10 overall. You can hear more of that conversation on Locked On Mavs here.
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