Second‑year forward Cooper Flagg says the Mavericks must improve after a 1‑3 preseason as they gear up for a season‑opening clash with the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21. Flagg posted a triple‑double (33‑10‑10) in the two Macao games versus Houston and scored 26 points with 12 rebounds in a 135‑111 loss to Atlanta. With Santi Aldama and Dereck Lively II out, coach Dusty May has been experimenting with lineups. Flagg emphasizes matching the Rockets’ physical, rebounding style and learning to mesh with Kyrie Irving, who returns after an ACL tear. Dallas lists Aldama, Lively, Tarik Biberović and Caleb Martin as unavailable for the opener.
Kevin Durant makes a bold statement after media critics deem the Rockets as underdogs.
Dallas opens its season on Oct. 21 against the Houston Rockets, and three fringe players could emerge as the Mavericks' third option behind Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. Former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, now 21 and 6‑8, hopes to find consistency with Dallas after averaging 11.1 points in Atlanta. Guard Marcus Sasser, the 25th pick in 2023, offers shooting and ball‑handling off the bench despite size concerns. A rookie big man also rounds out the trio, aiming to impact the game in ways that don’t show up in the box score. Their performances could shape the rotation early in the season.
Heading into the season, Kevin Durant ranks among the game’s best players. Meanwhile, some are labeling the Houston Rockets as an ‘underdog’ team even with a solid core. A core that includes Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason. But to hear Durant say it, the ‘underdog’ label isn’t based in reality, […]
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The Dallas Mavericks enter their season opener against the Houston Rockets without four key players: Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery) and Caleb Martin (right thumb sprain). Coach Dusty May says Aldama is "getting very close" to returning, while Martin briefly practiced but remains sidelined. Max Christie is fully healthy, and other roster moves include Jett Howard’s illness, Marcus Sasser’s adductor injury, and rookie Morez Johnson Jr. recovering from shin splints. The injuries leave Dallas shorthanded as they aim to start the 2026‑27 campaign on a positive note.
This time a year ago, following the splashy offseason trade acquisition of Kevin Durant, NBA oddsmakers listed the Rockets among the top tier of title contenders. To say the least, it’s different for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, which begins with Wednesday’s regular-season home opener versus the Dallas Mavericks. There are valid reasons for that discrepancy. […]
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The 2026‑27 NBA season kicks off on October 20 with a slate of games broadcast free on NBC. Tonight’s marquee matchups include Boston vs. Detroit, where the Pistons pull out a 121‑113 win behind Paul George’s 38 points, and the defending champs 76ers open at MSG against the Knicks featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid. Later, the Spurs face the Thunder in a Western Conference showdown. Fans can catch all action on NBC without a cable subscription.
The Dallas Mavericks will be without Tarik Biberovic for their first game against the Houston Rockets as he deals with right heel bursitis, making their shooting look even more concerning than it already does.
Charles Barkley recounts a midnight rescue by Michael Jordan after the Houston Rockets’ season‑ending loss in 2020. Jordan flew his private jet, picked up Barkley and teammate Darrell Walker, and whisked them to a golf outing, a gesture Barkley calls brotherly. The story then traces their fallout over Jordan’s controversial Bobcats hires in 2012, a decade‑long silence, and a recent attempt at reconciliation sparked by former MLB star Vince Coleman, hinting they may soon hit the links together again.
The Mavericks open the 2026‑27 season with a brutal six‑game stretch, facing the Rockets (52‑30) twice, the Spurs (62‑20), Thunder (64‑18), Pacers and Heat. While the Pacers could surge with Tyrese Halliburton’s return and the Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas’ roster—led by second‑year forward Cooper Flagg and a healthy Kyrie Irving—must navigate one of the toughest starts in recent memory. After a 3‑10 debut last season and a 23‑46 finish, a 2‑4 or 1‑5 start is likely, but a 3‑3 opening could signal a surprising bounce‑back under first‑year coach and new GM Masai Ujiri.
The Dallas Mavericks kick off the 2026-27 season on Oct. 21 at Houston, wrapping up the 82‑game schedule on Apr. 11, 2027, versus Memphis. Fans can expect at least 21 nationally televised games—8 on NBC, 6 on ESPN, 4 on Prime, 2 on Peacock, and 1 on ABC—plus additional slots on local KFAA (with five simulcast on WFAA). Non‑local viewers will need NBA League Pass or MavsTV+, and to catch every game you’ll likely require both Prime and Peacock subscriptions. Radio coverage is provided by 105.3 FM The Fan (English) and 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).
The Houston Rockets have converted Julian Phillips and Oscar Tshiebwe to two-way contracts and waived guard Sean Pedulla, the team announced Monday, October 19. Phillips and Tshiebwe originally signed with Houston as free agents on July 24. Both forwards will now occupy two-way roster spots, while Pedulla departs after signing a two-way deal with the […]
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Kyrie Irving declares he’s “really excited” to return to regular‑season action as the Dallas Mavericks open their 2026‑27 campaign against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21. The guard, who tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025 and missed the last 19 months, will debut after two preseason outings (17 and 18 points). Irving, who averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 2024‑25, says the rivalry game will test his health and readiness. He stresses a day‑by‑day approach, aims to be at 100%, and looks forward to challenging opponents like the Pacers, Spurs, Heat and Thunder in the early schedule.
Coach Dusty May says rookie 9th‑overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. will split time at power forward and center for the Dallas Mavericks. After debuting at center in the Oct. 9 preseason loss to Houston and missing the Oct. 14 game with shin splints, Johnson returned for a 135‑111 defeat at Atlanta, where May praised his physicality, defensive tenacity and rebounding hustle. Injuries to Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama and Moussa Cisse could dictate Johnson’s role, but May envisions him as a versatile “guard one through five” piece as his offensive game develops. Dallas opens the regular season Wednesday at Houston, with the home opener Saturday versus the Spurs.
Rookie Sergio de Larrea is shaping up as a genuine rotation option for the Dallas Mavericks, coach Dusty May says after three preseason outings. The 25th overall pick posted 10.0 points and 5.3 assists per game, highlighted by 11 points and 6 assists in his debut on Oct. 9 and a 9‑point, 7‑rebound, 4‑assist effort in a 132‑115 win over Houston. De Larrea emphasizes unselfish play, citing his passing and floor vision as his biggest contributions. He broke the franchise Summer League assists record with 12 and 14 in back‑to‑back games and finished plus‑34 in the Oct. 11 win, the highest on the floor. Dallas will face Houston again on Oct. 23 before opening its home slate against the Spurs.
Kyrie Irving says the Dallas Mavericks must tighten rotations and communication after a 1‑3 preseason. Returning from a torn ACL, Irving posted 17 points in the only win (132‑115 over Houston on Oct. 11) and 18 points with 5 assists in a 135‑111 loss to Atlanta. He notes the influx of new faces—rookies Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio de Larrea and forward Santi Aldama—requires grace but high expectations. Irving highlights lessons from facing elite defenders in Houston and Atlanta, stressing energy conservation, screen setting and balance between ball‑handlers and off‑ball players as the team prepares for its season opener on Oct. 21 against the Rockets.
The Rockets are keeping Oscar Tshiebwe and Julian Phillips, converting both players’ training camp contracts to two-way deals, the team announced. Houston also waived guard Sean Pedulla to create room for both conversions. Tshiebwe and Phillips join Quadir Copeland in the team’s three two-way spots, with 14 players remaining on standard contracts. The moves settle […]
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The Rockets reshape their roster for opening night by converting Oscar Tshiebwe and Julian Phillips from Exhibit 10 deals into two-way contracts, freeing a slot by waiving two-way guard Sean Pedulla. Tshiebwe, a 27‑year‑old rebounding specialist who posted 22.5 points and 19.5 rebounds in his last two NBA games, joins Julian Phillips, a 23‑year‑old wing who averaged 2.9 PPG last season after stints with the Bulls and Timberwolves. The moves also lock in Jae’Sean Tate and Isaiah Crawford as the 13th and 14th standard contracts, keeping Houston just $14K under the luxury‑tax threshold.
Kevin Durant makes the rivalry between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets all the more intense.
Coach Ime Udoka outlines the Houston Rockets' opening‑season rotation ahead of their Oct. 21 opener against the Dallas Mavericks. With Marcus Smart and Fred VanVleet back from injury and Steven Adams cleared of minutes limits, Udoka plans a 10‑man rotation, emphasizing Reed Sheppard’s shooting as essential despite defensive concerns. He warns the guards to be cautious on back‑to‑back games and notes the team faces a tough slate, playing seven of its first ten opponents from last season’s playoffs. The Rockets aim to build on a 52‑win campaign while avoiding the first‑round exits that ended their recent runs.
Kevin Durant pushed back against criticism of his time with the Phoenix Suns, arguing on X that the franchise already had internal issues before he joined the team. The Houston Rockets forward responded to a user who claimed Phoenix reached the NBA Finals before acquiring him and regressed afterward. “They were actually a 500. Team […]
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Ralph Sampson isn’t making preseason predictions. The Rockets legend told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson that the first 10 to 15 games will reveal more about Houston’s new-look backcourt than any offseason hype.
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Santi Aldama continues his rehab from a March 17 arthroscopic knee surgery, leaving his status for the Mavericks' season opener against the Houston Rockets in doubt. Coach Dusty May says Aldama is "much, much closer" but has not confirmed his availability, noting he missed all four preseason games and was absent from recent practice. The injury comes as Dallas struggles with big-man depth—Dereck Lively II remains sidelined and Moussa Cissé is nursing an ankle tweak. Aldama, acquired in a July trade, posted 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds last season with Memphis, and May envisions him as a stretch‑five in key lineups. Rookie Sergio de Larrea praises Aldama’s mentorship, though both await their first Dallas pairing.
The Mavericks enter their Oct. 18 season opener against the Rockets amid front‑court uncertainty. Coach Dusty May still doesn’t know if reserve big man Santi Aldama, still recovering from a March arthroscopic knee procedure, will suit up. Injuries to Aldama and Dereck Lively II have opened roster spots, with veteran Dwight Powell and rookie shot‑blocker Moussa Cisse battling for the final 15‑man slot. Forward P.J. Washington aims to be a key three‑point threat after hitting two of eight attempts in a recent loss. Rookie point guard Sergio De Larrea impressed in four preseason games (9.5 pts, 5.0 ast, 8‑of‑12 threes) and could crack the opening‑night rotation, while forward Morez Johnson Jr., despite limited preseason action, is expected to join the rotation thanks to his defensive versatility.
The Houston Rockets were dealt a major blow before last season even began when it was revealed that starting point guard Fred VanVleet would miss the whole year due to an ACL injury. The hits kept coming as Steven Adams was also ruled out for the year after the season started, and Kevin Durant injured […]
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