The San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks both enter Saturday’s game at American Airlines Center looking for their first win of the 2026-27 season. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET, with both sides sitting at 0-1 after dropping their season openers. The Spurs vs Mavericks preview centers on which depleted roster can find its footing first, with Dallas missing five rotation players and San Antonio trying to balance a crowded backcourt around Victor Wembanyama.
San Antonio Spurs At Dallas Mavericks Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, DAZN SAS, KFAA-TV, MavsTV
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
How Banged Up Are The Mavericks Heading In?
Dallas is working with a thin bench. Jett Howard (right calf soreness), Caleb Martin (right thumb sprain), Santi Aldama (right knee surgery) and Tarik Biberovic (right heel inflammation) are all listed as out for Saturday, and center Dereck Lively II remains out recovering from right foot surgery with a projected return of Oct. 26, meaning he will miss this game as well. That leaves Dallas relying heavily on its returning core, led by Cooper Flagg, who is averaging 32.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.0 blocks through the opener. Naji Marshall’s 6.0 assists per game and Zaccharie Risacher’s 6.0 rebounds per game round out the Mavericks’ early statistical leaders.
What’s Ailing The Spurs Besides The Scoreboard?
San Antonio’s injury report is shorter but still notable. Forward Tobias Harris is out with a left calf strain, and forward Jayden Quaintance is out following right knee surgery with a projected return date of Dec. 3, keeping him sidelined well beyond this matchup. The Spurs are expected to lean on their guard rotation in the meantime, with Stephon Castle leading the team at 24.0 points per game, De’Aaron Fox contributing 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.0 steal, and Victor Wembanyama pacing the team on the boards at 13.0 rebounds per game.
Which Team Is Trending In The Right Direction?
Neither side arrives with momentum, but the shapes of their recent stretches differ. Dallas has dropped four of its last five outings, including a 135-117 loss to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 9 and a 128-110 defeat at Houston on Oct. 22, with its lone win in that span a 132-115 result over the Rockets on Oct. 11. San Antonio split its last five, beating Phoenix 123-103 on Oct. 15 and Sacramento 126-97 on Oct. 17, before falling to Oklahoma City 116-104 on Oct. 21. The Spurs’ turnover rate stands out early: they are averaging just 13.0 turnovers per game compared to Dallas’ 21.0, a gap that could matter given how thin the Mavericks’ available rotation is.
Key Matchup: Flagg’s Scoring Load Vs. Wembanyama’s Rim Protection
With four rotation players out, Dallas has asked Cooper Flagg to carry an outsized share of the offense, and his 32.0 points in the opener reflect that. He will face a Spurs defense built around Victor Wembanyama, whose 11.0 blocks per game as a team lead San Antonio’s interior presence. The Spurs also hold a wide rebounding edge, out-boarding opponents on the defensive glass 35.0 to Dallas’ 25.0 per game. How Flagg attacks that size, and whether Dallas’ limited frontcourt depth can generate second-chance opportunities against San Antonio’s 10.0 offensive rebounds per game, could decide which team’s shooting percentages hold up over 48 minutes.
What To Watch
Both teams sit a game back of first-place Memphis and Houston in the Southwest Division, so an early win carries modest standings value in a division that has yet to separate. San Antonio’s turnover discipline against a Dallas team playing short-handed, and whether the Mavericks’ two-point shooting efficiency holds up without several rotation pieces, are the two threads most likely to shape the outcome. The Spurs’ three-guard lineup with Fox, Harper and Castle remains a projected approach worth tracking as San Antonio searches for its first win, while questions about Wembanyama’s standing among the league’s best players will continue regardless of Saturday’s result. For more on how evaluators view San Antonio’s long-term outlook, see the 2026-27 NBA GM survey results on Wembanyama and the Spurs, and for background on San Antonio’s absent forward, read about the Tobias Harris injury that has kept him out of the preseason and into the regular season opener stretch.
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