DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are off the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule for the first time since 2019. Dallas had played on Christmas in six straight seasons.
The NBA announced its five Christmas games Tuesday morning. The San Antonio Spurs visit the New York Knicks at 11 a.m. CT, with the Miami Heat playing at the Boston Celtics at 1:30 p.m. The Philadelphia 76ers play the Los Angeles Lakers at 4 p.m. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves follow at 7 p.m. The Denver Nuggets close the schedule at the Golden State Warriors at 9:30 p.m.
All five games will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN.
Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas Day Streak Ends
From 2020 through 2025, the Mavericks joined Golden State and the Lakers as the only teams to play on Christmas in all six seasons.
Dallas lost 126-116 to Golden State last Christmas. Cooper Flagg had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in his first Christmas game. He shot 13-of-21 from the floor. Brandon Williams added 26 points off the bench.
Stephen Curry led Golden State with 23 points. Anthony Davis left during the second quarter because of groin spasms and did not return.
The game was the ninth Christmas appearance in Mavericks history. Dallas is 4-5 on Christmas Day.
Luka Dončić scored 50 points against the Phoenix Suns on Christmas in 2023, the only 50-point Christmas performance by an active player. Dallas beat the Lakers 124-115 in 2022 and lost 105-99 at home against Minnesota in 2024.
Dallas Enters New Season With Major Changes
The Mavericks finished last season 26-56. They placed 12th in the Western Conference and fourth in the Southwest Division. Dallas has missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Early last season, the Mavericks fired President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Nico Harrison. Masai Ujiri was hired as team president during the offseason, and Mike Schmitz became the general manager.
Another change came in May, when Dallas and Jason Kidd ended their five-season partnership. The Mavericks hired former Michigan Wolverines coach Dusty May as his replacement.
The roster also changed significantly in February. Dallas traded Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Danté Exum, and Jaden Hardy to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks, and three second-round picks.
Part of the trade exception created in that deal was used in July to acquire Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Dallas added Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea, Tobi Lawal, and Vsevolod Ishchenko in the NBA Draft. Naji Marshall signed a three-year, $52.2 million contract extension.
Kyrie Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season after tearing his ACL in March 2025. In May, Irving said he was close to being over 100% in his ACL recovery. He has continued to appear in offseason workout clips ahead of training camp.
Flagg is coming off a Rookie of the Year season. In 70 starts, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He shot 46.8% from the field and 82.7% from the free throw line.
On April 3, Flagg scored 51 points against the Orlando Magic. He became the first teenager in NBA history to score 50 points in a game.
Dallas Mavericks’ Preseason Starts in Macau
The season starts Oct. 20. The Boston Celtics play the Detroit Pistons, the Philadelphia 76ers face the New York Knicks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder play the San Antonio Spurs that night. The Mavericks are not part of the opening-week schedule the league announced Tuesday.
Dallas opens its preseason against the Houston Rockets in Macao on Oct. 9 and plays the Rockets again Oct. 11. The Mavericks return home to play the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 14 and the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 16.
The NBA will announce the complete 2026-27 schedule Thursday at 2 p.m. CT.
