Jordan, Clippers to visit Mavericks on Nov. 11
The Dallas Mavericks won’t have to wait long before they get an opportunity to take their frustrations out on center DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jordan and the Clippers will make the first of their two trips to Dallas on Nov. 11 — the eighth game of the season for the Mavericks. Tip-off is 7 p.m. on ESPN. Their second meeting in Dallas is March 7.
The NBA released its 2015-2016 schedule Wednesday and the Mavericks-Clippers game ranks as one of the league’s marquee contests, particularly considering the firestorm Jordan created when he backed out of an agreement with the Mavericks earlier this summer during free agency.
Their first meeting will be on opening weekend when the Mavericks travel to LA to face the Clippers on Oct. 29. Tip-off is 9:30 p.m. on TNT.
“It will be fun. It will be competitive, a little bit more intense,” Jordan told NBA TV Wednesday evening during the league’s schedule release show. “It will be even more fun when we play in Dallas.”
The Mavericks’ season opener on Oct. 28 will be at Phoenix. Their home opener is Nov. 3 vs. Toronto. The NBA season begins Oct. 27.
On July 3, Jordan agreed to sign a four-year contract with the Mavericks, who were excited that they had finally convinced a high-profile free agent to join their franchise. The agreement with the 6-foot-11 Jordan sent shock waves through the league and was met with euphoria in Dallas.
But five days later, Jordan reneged on his commitment and instead decided to return to Los Angeles and re-sign with the Clippers. The decision by the seven-year veteran didn’t sit well with the Mavericks, particularly the way it played out via social media, which created a frenzy among players from both teams, the media and fans on Twitter.
As word circulated that Jordan was considering changing his mind and returning to the Clippers, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and forward Chandler Parsons desperately tried to reach the former Texas A&M standout. But Jordan didn’t return repeated phone calls and text messages from Cuban and Parsons, and the NBA’s moratorium abruptly ended with Jordan angering the Mavericks by accepting a free-agent contract with the Clippers.
Parsons was critical of Jordan’s move, but Jordan says the two remain friends.
“The situation was definitely emotional,” Jordan said. “We were friends before basketball and we’ll be friends after basketball.”
Because of that decision, Jordan’s two visits to Dallas have already created a major buzz among Mavericks fans, who will likely boo him every time he touches the ball.
Besides that high-profile game against the Clippers, Stephen Curry, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, and the champion Golden State Warriors visit the AAC on Dec. 30 and March 18.
Also, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit on Jan. 12. The Cavaliers are considered the heavy favorites to win the title after losing in the NBA Finals to the Warriors in six games less than two months ago.
Dallas also will get its first look at LaMarcus Aldridge with his new team — San Antonio — when the Mavericks face the Spurs in San Antonio on Nov. 25.
The Mavericks have 17 sets of back-to-back games with 14 coming before the All-Star break, Feb. 12-14. The All-Star game is in Toronto.
The Mavericks, who posted a 50-32 record last season, will end the regular season with a home game against San Antonio.
Dwain Price, 817-390-7760
Dallas Mavericks 2015-16 schedule
Date | Opponent | Time |
O 28 | at Phoenix | 9 p.m. |
O 29 | at LA Clippers | 9:30 p.m. |
N 1 | at LA Lakers | 8:30 p.m. |
N 3 | vs. Toronto | 7:30 p.m. |
N 5 | vs. Charlotte | 7:30 p.m. |
N 7 | vs. New Orleans | 7:30 p.m. |
N 10 | at New Orleans | 7 p.m. |
N 11 | vs. LA Clippers | 7 p.m. |
N 13 | vs. LA Lakers | 7:30 p.m. |
N 14 | at Houston | 7 p.m. |
N 16 | at Philadelphia | 7 p.m. |
N 18 | at Boston | 6:30 p.m. |
N 20 | vs. Utah | 7:30 p.m. |
N 22 | at Oklahoma City | 6 p.m. |
N 24 | at Memphis | 7 p.m. |
N 25 | at San Antonio | 7:30 p.m. |
N 28 | vs. Denver | 7:30 p.m. |
N 30 | at Sacramento | 9 p.m. |
D 1 | at Portland | 9 p.m. |
D 4 | vs. Houston | 7:30 p.m. |
D 6 | at Washington | 5 p.m. |
D 7 | at New York | 6:30 p.m. |
D 9 | vs. Atlanta | 8:30 p.m. |
D 12 | vs. Washington | 7:30 p.m. |
D 14 | vs. Phoenix | 7:30 p.m. |
D 16 | at Indiana | 6 p.m. |
D 18 | vs. Memphis | 7:30 p.m. |
D 22 | at Toronto | 6:30 p.m. |
D 23 | at Brooklyn | 6:30 p.m. |
D 26 | vs. Chicago | 7:30 p.m. |
D 28 | vs. Milwaukee | 7:30 p.m. |
D 30 | vs. Golden State | 7:30 p.m. |
J 1 | at Miami | 6:30 p.m. |
J 2 | vs. New Orleans | 7:30 p.m. |
J 5 | Sacramento | 7:30 p.m. |
J 6 | at New Orleans | 7 p.m. |
J 8 | at Milwaukee | 7 p.m. |
J 10 | at Minnesota | 2:30 p.m. |
J 12 | vs. Cleveland | 7:30 p.m. |
J 13 | at Oklahoma City | 7 p.m. |
J 15 | at Chicago | 7 p.m. |
J 17 | at San Antonio | 6 p.m. |
J 18 | vs. Boston | 7:30 p.m. |
J 20 | vs. Minnesota | 7:30 p.m. |
J 22 | vs. Oklahoma City | 7:30 p.m. |
J 24 | at Houston | 2:30 p.m. |
J 26 | at LA Lakers | 9:30 p.m. |
J 27 | at Golden State | 9:30 p.m. |
J 29 | vs. Brooklyn | 7:30 p.m. |
J 31 | vs. Phoenix | 6 p.m. |
F 1 | at Atlanta | 7 p.m. |
F 3 | vs. Miami | 7:30 p.m. |
F 5 | vs. San Antonio | 8:30 p.m. |
F 6 | at Memphis | 7 p.m. |
F 9 | vs. Utah | 7:30 p.m. |
F 12-14 | All-Star Weekend in Toronto | |
F 19 | at Orlando | 6 p.m. |
F 21 | vs. Philadelphia | 6 p.m. |
F 24 | vs. Oklahoma City | 7:30 p.m. |
F 26 | vs. Denver | 7:30 p.m. |
F 28 | vs. Minnesota | 6 p.m. |
M 1 | vs. Orlando | 7:30 p.m. |
M 3 | vs. Sacramento | 7:30 p.m. |
M 6 | at Denver | 4 p.m. |
M 7 | vs. LA Clippers | 7:30 p.m. |
M 9 | vs. Detroit | 7:30 p.m. |
M 12 | vs. Indiana | 1 p.m. |
M 14 | at Charlotte | 6 p.m. |
M 16 | at Cleveland | 6 p.m. |
M 18 | vs. Golden State | 7:30 p.m. |
M 20 | vs. Portland | 3 p.m. |
M 23 | at Portland | 9:30 p.m. |
M 25 | at Golden State | 9:30 p.m. |
M 27 | at Sacramento | 5 p.m. |
M 28 | at Denver | 8 p.m. |
M 30 | vs. New York | 7:30 p.m. |
A 1 | at Detroit | 6:30 p.m. |
A 3 | at Minnesota | 2:30 p.m. |
A 6 | vs. Houston | 8:30 p.m. |
A 8 | vs. Memphis | 7:30 p.m. |
A 10 | at LA Clippers | 2:30 p.m. |
A 11 | at Utah | 8 p.m. |
A 13 | vs. San Antonio | 7 p.m. |
All times Central time.
This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Jordan, Clippers to visit Mavericks on Nov. 11."