Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks set to test rugged schedule
If the Dallas Mavericks are going to return to the playoffs, they now know what the road will look like.
The NBA released its regular-season schedule Monday.
The Mavericks, led by superstar Dirk Nowitzki and exciting rookie Dennis Smith Jr., will appear on national television 11 times, including five games on ESPN, five on NBA TV and once on TNT.
Nowitzki, who turned 39 on June 19, is set to go into his 20th season with the Mavericks.
The Mavericks will open at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 18, followed by the Sacramento Kings on at American Airlines Center on Oct. 20.
It will be the Mavericks’ first home opener since 2013, when Dallas defeated the Hawks 118-109.
In an effort to cut down on the number of back-to-back games and completely eliminate four-game, five-night stretches for all teams, the NBA has stretched the regular season by starting in mid-October.
This is the earliest season opener for the Mavericks since the club’s inaugural season in 1980, when they kicked things off against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 11.
The reigning world champion Golden State Warriors will make two stops at American Airlines Center. The first trip being just the third home contest of the season (Oct. 23) and the final being the Mavericks first game of the New Year (Jan. 3).
The Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers will make their only trip to Dallas on Nov. 11.
Dallas Mavericks 2017-18 schedule
October
Wed. Oct. 18 Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 20 Sacramento 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 21 @ Houston 7 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 23 Golden State 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Oct. 25 Memphis 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. Oct. 26 @ Memphis 7 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 28 Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 30 @ Utah 8 p.m.
November
Wed. Nov. 1 @ L.A. Clippers 9:30 p.m. ESPN
Fri. Nov. 3 New Orleans 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 4 @ Minnesota 7 p.m.
Tues. Nov. 7 @ Washington 6 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 11 Cleveland 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 12 @ Oklahoma City 6 p.m.
Tues. Nov. 14 San Antonio 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 17 Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 18 Milwaukee 8 p.m.
Mon. Nov. 20 Boston 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 22 @ Memphis 7 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 25 Oklahoma City 7:30 p.m.
Mon. Nov. 27 @ San Antonio 7:30 p.m.NBATV
Wed. Nov. 29 Brooklyn 7:30 p.m.
December
Sat. Dec. 2 L.A. Clippers 1 p.m.
Mon. Dec. 4 Denver 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 6 @ Boston 6:30 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 8 @ Milwaukee 7 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 10 @ Minnesota 6 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 12 San Antonio 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Thurs. Dec. 14 @ Golden State 9:30 p.m. TNT
Sat. Dec. 16 @ San Antonio 7:30 p.m.
Mon. Dec. 18 Phoenix 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 20 Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 22 @ Miami 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 23 @ Atlanta 6:30 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 26 Toronto 6 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 27 @ Indiana 6 p.m.
Fri. Dec. 29 @ New Orleans 7 p.m.
Sun. Dec. 31 @ Oklahoma City 6 p.m.
January
Wed. Jan. 3 Golden State 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Jan. 5 Chicago 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 7 New York 6 p.m.
Tues. Jan.9 Orlando 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 10 @ Charlotte 6 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 13 L.A. Lakers 1 p.m.
Tues. Jan. 16 @ Denver 8 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 20 @ Portland 9 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 22 Washington 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 24 Houston 7 p.m. ESPN
Fri. Jan. 26 Portland 7:30 p.m.
Sat. Jan 27 @ Denver 8 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 29 Miami 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 31 @ Phoenix 9:30 p.m. ESPN
February
Sat. Feb. 3 @ Sacramento 9 p.m.
Mon. Feb. 5 @ L.A. Clippers 9:30 p.m. NBATV
Thurs. Feb 8 @ Golden State 9:30 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 10 L.A. Lakers 7:30 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 11 @ Houston 6 p.m. NBATV
Tues. Feb. 13 Sacramento 7:30 p.m.
All Star Weekend Los Angeles, Calif. Feb. 16-18
Fri. Feb. 23 @ L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m. ESPN
Sat. Feb. 24 @ Utah 8 p.m.
Mon. Feb. 26 Indiana 7:30 p.m.
Wed. Feb. 28 Oklahoma City 7:30 p.m.
March
Fri. March 2 @ Chicago 7 p.m.
Sun. March 4 New Orleans 6 p.m.
Tues. March 6 Denver 7:30 p.m.
Sat. March 10 Memphis 7:30 p.m.
Sun. March 11 Houston 6 p.m.
Tues. March 13 @ New York 6:30 p.m.
Fri. March 16 @ Toronto 6:30 p.m.
Sat. March 17 @ Brooklyn 6:30 p.m.
Tues. March 20 @ New Orleans 7 p.m.
Thurs. Marcu 22 Utah 7:30 p.m.
Sat. March 24 Charlotte 7:30 p.m.
Tues. March 27 @ Sacramento 9 p.m.
Wed. March 28 @ L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m.
Fri. March 30 Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
April
Sun. April 1 @ Cleveland 5 p.m. NBATV
Tues. April 3 Portland 7:30 p.m.
Wed. April 4 @ Orlando 6 p.m.
Fri. April 6 @ Detroit 6 p.m.
Sun. April 8 @ Philadelphia Noon NBATV
Tues. April 10 Phoenix 7:30 p.m.
All Times Dallas Time (CT)
This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks set to test rugged schedule."