The 2024-25 NBA schedule has been released, and the topic of the Dallas Mavericks on opening night has been a talker as of late.

The Mavericks as champions of the Western Conference were disrespected by not getting a game on opening night.

While the NBA made a mistake by not adding the Mavericks on opening night, they did get something else that will help the team’s exposure in the long run.

If the Mavericks weren’t allowed a time slot on opening night, the next best thing is seeing the Mavs’ first game on national television against “The Alien,” Victor Wembanyama. The Mavericks also started out last season against the Spurs, but with Wembanyama winning Rookie of the Year and living up to expectations, this is the perfect opening night test for the Mavericks.

Especially with hopes to be a renewed rivalry between the Spurs and Mavericks, the stakes will be high to start the season.

That will follow with 29 more nationally televised games for the Mavericks this upcoming season. 

Last season, it was announced before the season that the Mavs would have 28 nationally televised games.

This season, Luka Doncic is looking to take his scoring title and turn it into an MVP season for the first time in his professional career. Kyrie Irving just finished his first full season with Dallas and is doing magic on the basketball court in his current tenure with Dallas. 

Two big men for Dallas will be rotating on the court. In what looks to be similar to a quarterback controversy for the team, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford will be manning the five spot. Both players are capable starters at the five, and they’ll likely play a similar amount of minutes per game.

Then, of course, the signing of Klay Thompson has Dallas fans hoping for new unimaginable highs under head coach Jason Kidd, being crowned the NBA Champions. 

It’s obvious why the NBA chose Dallas to have 30 games nationally televised this season. New faces, along with a changing roster for the better have Mavs fans with a chance to forgive the league for disrespecting Dallas to begin the season.