It will not take long for new coach Jason Kidd and the Mavericks to find out about themselves in the 2021-22 season.
They will begin the 82-game marathon with a road trip starting at Atlanta on Oct. 21, a game that had been announced earlier as part of the NBA’s opening-week schedule.
That’s the first of 10 road games in their first 16 to start the season – including two games each at the end of that stretch at Phoenix and at the Los Angeles Clippers. Of those 16 opponents, 12 were either in the playoffs or the play-in tournament last season.
The home opener is Oct. 26 against Houston, with San Antonio coming to American Airlines Center two nights later.
The NBA released its season schedule on Friday afternoon and the Mavericks quickly found that the testy part of their run will come in the first month of the season.
The 2021-22 campaign will mark the 42nd season in Mavericks history, including the club’s 21st playing at AAC. The NBA will return to its traditional 82-game format for its 75th anniversary season.
Dallas is scheduled to play 26 nationally televised games, including 11 on ESPN, seven on TNT, six on NBA TV and two on ABC. The team’s local broadcast schedule (television and radio) will be announced at a later date.
Luka Dončić, Kristaps Porzingis and friends will have a friendly stretch of the schedule starting the New Year, when they play eight of the first 12 games of 2022 at home. Six of those opponents missed the playoffs last year.
Some key dates:
The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo will give Mavericks’ fans an early Christmas present as they make their only visit to AAC on Dec. 23.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors are at AAC on Jan. 5 and March 3.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook lead the Los Angeles Lakers to town on Dec. 15 and March 29.
The Brooklyn Nets, with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, play at AAC once, on Dec. 7.
No. 1 draft pick Cade Cunningham will make his lone stop in Dallas on Feb. 8.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will make two appearances at AAC, Nov. 15 and Jan. 3.
While the Mavericks open the season in Atlanta, Young and the Hawks won’t come to AAC until Feb. 6.
Defending Western Conference champion Phoenix and Devin Booker will visit on Jan. 20.
The longest home stand will be six games and will start on Feb. 2. That stay at home includes both visits by the LA Clippers, who the Mavericks have seen in both of the last two playoffs, and Atlanta’s only visit.
Conversely, the Mavericks will be road warriors for the holidays. They have two five-game road trips this season, including one that starts on Christmas and extends beyond New Year’s Day. They also have a five-gamer in the middle of March that will skirt mostly up the East Coast.
The Mavericks will be idle from Feb. 18 to 24 for the All-Star break, which is in Cleveland.
Single game tickets will be made available to current season ticket members through an exclusive presale opportunity beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and the general public on Friday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. For more information on becoming a season ticket member or purchasing single game tickets, please visit mavs.com or call (214) 747-MAVS.
Twitter: @ESefko
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