Tip-off 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
TV: KFAA, MavsTV, DAZN-SAS
Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back. The Spurs seek their first win of the season on the road, while the Mavericks host their home opener short-handed.
Injury Reports
Spurs:
Jayden Quaintance (F, knee) – Out.
Tobias Harris (F, calf) – Day-to-day / likely out.
Additional notes from reports include possible day-to-day status for De’Aaron Fox (wrist) and Keldon Johnson (mouth) in recent updates, though both have been active recently.
Mavericks:
Cooper Flagg (F, mild left shoulder sprain) – Out (injured Friday vs. Indiana on a flagrant foul; MRI confirmed mild sprain; will be re-evaluated next week).
Dereck Lively II (C, foot) – Out.
Santi Aldama (F/C, knee) – Out.
Caleb Martin (F, thumb) – Out.
Jett Howard (G/F, calf) – Out.
Tarik Biberovic (F, heel) – Out.
Dallas is significantly undermanned, especially on the wing and frontcourt.
Current Rosters & Projected Starters
San Antonio Spurs key roster (2026-27): Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Luke Kornet, Harrison Barnes, Tobias Harris (injured), Carter Bryant, and others. Projected starters (based on recent usage): De’Aaron Fox (PG), Dylan Harper / Stephon Castle (wings/guards), Devin Vassell (wing), Victor Wembanyama (C). The Spurs feature a strong mix of young talent and veterans around Wembanyama.
Dallas Mavericks key roster (2026-27): Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, Zaccharie Risacher, Marcus Sasser, Moussa Cissé, Morez Johnson Jr., and others (with Flagg, Lively, Aldama, and others out). Projected starters (adjusted for injuries): Kyrie Irving (PG), Max Christie (SG), Naji Marshall / Zaccharie Risacher (wings), P.J. Washington (PF), Daniel Gafford (C). Heavy reliance on Irving and Washington with significant absences.
Recent Team Forms
Spurs (0-2):
Oct. 20/21: L 104-116 vs. Oklahoma City (season opener).
Oct. 23: L 110-114 vs. Houston (in Austin) – Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points and 13 rebounds but had a potential game-tying layup blocked by Amen Thompson at the buzzer. Dylan Harper added 20; De’Aaron Fox had 19 points and 9 assists. Close loss on the second night of the early schedule.
Mavericks (1-1):
Oct. 21: L 110-128 at Houston.
Oct. 23: W 121-105 at Indiana – Built a large lead. Kyrie Irving scored 24 points; P.J. Washington had 20 points and 13 rebounds; Max Christie 16; Naji Marshall 15. Cooper Flagg contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 17 minutes before exiting with the shoulder injury.
Both sides are dealing with early-season rust and back-to-back fatigue.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Victor Wembanyama vs. Daniel Gafford / P.J. Washington frontcourt: Wembanyama (dominant early with scoring and rebounding) faces a depleted Dallas interior missing Lively and Aldama. Expect Wemby to attack the rim and protect it.
De’Aaron Fox / Stephon Castle / Dylan Harper vs. Kyrie Irving: Speed and playmaking battle. Fox and the young Spurs guards create transition opportunities against Irving’s isolation scoring and creation.
Devin Vassell / wings vs. Max Christie / Naji Marshall / Zaccharie Risacher: Wing defense and 3-point shooting will matter with Flagg out; Marshall and Risacher step into larger roles.
Overall size and athleticism: Spurs’ length (Wembanyama, Castle, Harper) should exploit Dallas’s thinned roster on both ends, particularly in the paint and transition.
Series History
San Antonio has dominated recent meetings. The Spurs won the last several encounters, including a strong showing last season (reports note a 4-0 or highly favorable recent edge, with high-scoring wins such as 139-120 and others in 2025-26). All-time regular-season series favors the Spurs historically in the rivalry.
Betting Trends
Trends favor San Antonio given the talent disparity and Dallas injuries. Models project Spurs wins by double digits (e.g., 116-111, 120-109, or larger). The total sits in the low-to-mid 230s, reflecting potential for efficient Spurs offense against a short-handed defense, tempered by back-to-back factors. Recent H2H has seen overs in some high-scoring Spurs wins.
Game Odds
San Antonio Spurs – 12.5
Dallas Mavericks 231.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 23, 2026
