Now that we’ve had a few months to get over the pain of the Dallas Mavericks losing in the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, it’s easier to really appreciate just how glorious that playoff run was.
Franchise star Luka Doncic was the second player ever to be the postseason leader in points, rebounds and assists, all while he and fellow guard Kyrie Irving finally gelled into the dynamic duo we had been waiting on for more than a year. Promising contributions from rookie Dereck Lively II and supporting players including Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington also made last year’s Finals run memorable.
But that was then, folks. That was before the triple-digit heat invaded Dallas after all. We’re a month away from Thanksgiving now, and a new season is set to begin. A new season with new hope and even some new players, including arguably the offseason’s biggest free agent target, Klay Thompson.
The season begins on Thursday with a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Here’s what you should know about the 2024–25 Dallas Mavericks.
Who’s on the Team This Year?
Heavy turnover from one season to the next is pretty common in the NBA, but the Mavericks of this season will look a lot like the Western Conference champs from last year, with a notable exception. Future Hall of Fame guard Klay Thompson joins the team after a remarkable 13-year run with the Golden State Warriors, where he helped win four NBA titles. The 34-year-old has dealt with some major injuries in recent years, but all signs indicate that his sublime 3-point shooting is far from past its prime. The Mavs even welcomed back guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who provided a great deal of energy and clutch scoring during his short time with the team in 2022 and 2023. To the dismay of a few and to the delight of many others, streaky shooter Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Dallas will miss athletic dunk machine Derrick Jones Jr., who joined the Los Angeles Clippers in the offseason, but when your roster has a healthy Thompson as its third- or fourth-best player, there isn’t much to complain about.
What Are the Experts Predicting for the Mavericks?
Similar to the NHL team that shares the American Airlines Center with the Mavs, the oddsmakers and media are pretty high on Dallas’ chances for success this season. You won't find too many suggesting that Luka and company are the runaway favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but you do see just about everyone picking Dallas to be in the competitive mix for a deep playoff run. Fox Sports gives the Mavericks the second-best odds to win it all at +180, while the FanDuel Sportsbook gives Dallas the fifth-best odds to be champs at +1100. NBC Sports predicts the Mavericks will again reach the Western Conference Finals, although they say that the young, insurgent Oklahoma City Thunder will top them on their way to the Finals. The Athletic lists the Mavs as the third-best team in the Western Conference, confirming that things look just peachy for the club if its key players stay healthy.
“The full-strength version of this season’s Mavs will tilt more toward offense than it did a year ago, but it will be good regardless,” the Athletic report states. “How good Dallas is in the regular season likely hinges on how many games it gets from [Luka] Doncic and [Kyrie] Irving, which is why I’ll cap the Mavs at 51 [wins], but I’d take them over Phoenix or Minnesota in a playoff series. A return to the NBA Finals would shock no one.”
How Can I Watch The Mavericks?
This is a more intriguing question than ever before, and frankly, it's as confusing as it is likely to ever be again. The team recently announced it would no longer air its regional broadcasts on Bally’s Sports Southwest due to the financial problems the network has faced over the past few years. In the weeks since, Dallas has announced a new partnership with WFAA and TEGNA, the company that owns WFAA. Fifteen games will air on WFAA this season, and more than 60 other non-nationally televised games will be shown on the newly named KFAA 29, formerly KMPX 29. Free, over-the-air games sound great, right? Sure! But there’s a catch, sort of. Channel 29 isn't yet available on popular multichannel streamers such as YouTube TV or Hulu Live. It is available, however, on other well-known cable outlets, including AT&T U-verse TV, Charter Spectrum, DISH and more.
But wait, there's more! On Monday morning, the team announced the arrival of MavsTV, a new streaming option for in-market fans to forgo any digital antennas or channel flipping. The annual option runs $124.99 and a monthly subscription will cost $14.99 per month.
According to the team's official website, "fans subscribing to a season-long pass will have the option of selecting either a pair of tickets to an upcoming Mavs game or a $75 Mavs merchandise gift card, as a complimentary gift to accompany their season-long subscription."
Don’t have any of those? You can purchase a digital antenna to install on your television that will help you get KFAA 29 for free. Because the Mavs are a hot ticket these days, expect at least a dozen of their games to be national broadcasts available on ESPN, ABC or TNT.
What Are The Key Games to Watch This Season?
- Thursday, Oct. 24: San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks (opening night against in-state rival)
- Tuesday, Oct. 29: Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves (Western Conference Finals rematch)
- Sunday, Nov. 10: Dallas Mavericks @ Denver Nuggets (first game against defending MVP Nikola Jokic)
- Tuesday, Nov. 12: Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors (first game against Klay Thompson’s former team)
- Sunday, Nov. 17: Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder (playoff rematch)
- Wednesday, Dec. 25: Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks (Christmas Day game)
- Tuesday, Jan. 7: Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks (first visit from LeBron James of the season)
- Saturday, Jan. 25: Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA Finals rematch)
- Sunday, April 13: Dallas Mavericks @ Memphis Grizzlies (final game of regular season)
