Since the end of the NBA season, it feels like the NBA world has had the San Antonio Spurs on the brain. First, they lucked into the second pick in the draft, selecting Dylan Harper, which raised questions
about their roster construction. They then had a fruitful free agency period, acquiring big man depth with the additions of Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk. Then Victor Wembanyama had a summer worthy of the most interesting man in the NBA. Finally, the Spurs went undefeated in the preseason.
All of that hype will fade away when the ball is tipped at 8:30 on Wednesday night. Now the Spurs will be full steam ahead, chasing the franchise’s first postseason appearance in 6 seasons (the longest drought in the Western Conference). The team’s superstar has made it clear that it’s playoffs or bust this year.
“Success would be getting into the playoffs and not the play-in,” Wembanyama said. “So I guess that means 6th seed.”
In a tightly contested Western Conference, every game will matter to get them to that 6th seed. Game one against an in-state rival will be paramount. The Dallas Mavericks have also generated hype this offseason thanks to the addition of a generational talent in Cooper Flagg. The rookie headlines a roster filled with big, physical players like Anthony Davis, PJ Washington, and Derrick Lively, all of whom have given Wembanyama fits in his career. Despite their lack of big-time guard play (thanks to Kyrie Irving’s injury), the Mavericks are a scary team that should make waves in the West.
San Antonio will look to build on its preseason momentum and get off to a solid start without at least two rotational players. De’Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan are expected to miss the first handful of games. It’ll be up to Wembanyama and the crew to pick up the slack to start the year, turning offseason hype into regular-season results.
San Antonio Spurs (0-0) vs. Dallas Mavericks (o-0)
October 22nd, 2025 | 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: De’Aaron Fox – Out (hamstring), Kelly Olynyk – Out (heel), Jeremy Sochan – Out (wrist), Lindy Waters – Out (eye)
Mavericks Injuries: Dante Exum – Out (ankle), Daniel Gafford – Doubtful (ankle), Kyrie Irving – Out (knee)
What to watch for:
Battle on the boards
The Mavericks are a big, physical, defensive-minded team. These are the kinds of rosters that have caused issues for the Spurs in the past. Even with a taller, stronger Wembanyama, rebounding may be an issue for San Antonio this year. They’ll rely on gang rebounding from smaller players on the team like Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, and Harrison Barnes. San Antonio will be at a size disadvantage against Dallas, so securing the defensive boards and keeping Dallas from scoring second-chance points will be extremely important.
Wembanyama takes over
You may recall Wembanyama’s shaky start to the season last year. It started with an opening night dud against the Mavericks in a 120-109 loss, where he had 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block on 5-18 shooting from the field. He likely remembers that performance, given the type of competitor Wembanyama is. Expect a motivated big man on Wednesday against the Mavs. Wemby dominated the preseason, looking like a potential MVP candidate. This team will live and die by his performances. He will have a chance to put the team on his back on Wednesday.
Wing play
The Mavericks have a budding star in Flagg. He’s going to be a legit two-way problem right away. The Spurs will need to contain him if they want to earn a road victory. That means Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Barnes, and Castle will need to be ready to match up and go against the big, athletic wing. It’ll be interesting to see who the Spurs choose to start the game on Flagg. Champagnie seems like the obvious choice, but Castle is the team’s best perimeter defender and has the size and strength to match up with Flagg. Offensively, the Spurs will need shooting from their wings, like they got in the preseason. Knocking down threes on kickouts will be key against the bigger Mavs.
