November 3, 2026 at 6:58 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisThin Mavericks Face a Tough Road Test in San Antonio
Dallas arrives in San Antonio short-handed and stinging from an unexpected loss.
- DAL @ SAS Nov 5, 2026 at 2:30 AM UTC
Dallas came into this season looking better than expected, opening 4-2 under Dusty May. Then the Mavericks lost to Sacramento, which had been the NBA's last winless team. That result is the backdrop for a trip to San Antonio, where a team that had been surprising people now has to show it can respond.
The bigger problem is availability. Kyrie Irving's left knee is being managed after his ACL return, and he went from questionable to doubtful to out against the Kings. His status for the Spurs is not given, and Dallas also played that game without him in the Oct. 24 loss to San Antonio. Max Christie then left the Kings game with a right hip injury after about eight minutes and did not return, with no timetable provided. If both guards are unavailable, the backcourt gets even thinner.
The rotation was already stretched. Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama were out following surgeries, and Sergio de Larrea was ruled out for the Kings game. Marcus Sasser and Walter Clayton Jr. were in line for more minutes, which puts pressure on less established guards to handle ball movement and defensive assignments against a San Antonio group playing at home.
Cooper Flagg is the reason Dallas can still compete. He leads the team at 26.8 points per game and had 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists against Houston. Without Irving, he would likely carry even more of the creation load, which could make life easier for the Spurs' defense by letting them focus its attention on him. Dallas can stay close if Flagg keeps producing, but sustaining that for 48 minutes with a patchwork supporting cast is difficult.
I expect San Antonio to take control with its depth and home-court advantage, while Flagg keeps the Mavericks within reach for a stretch. Prediction: Spurs 118, Mavericks 106.