If you were in charge of scheduling NBA games, how would you start the season? What game would you showcase on the very first day?
There are too many choices, and you know fans would want a game that has a lot of spice. As of right now, a Los Angeles Lakers versus Dallas Mavericks matchup seems to be the juiciest option.
Here are some scenes to look forward to.
Awkward Moments: Players
One quick look at the Lakers’ and Mavericks’ rosters is enough to make you notice a bunch of familiar names. That was made possible, of course, because the two teams just struck a deal about six months ago, and each team thinks they won that trade war. Now, we get to see them in action.
73 point game.
WCF MVP.
Rookie of the year.
Finals appearance.
Scoring champion.
Highest PPG in Mavs history.
Loved the city.Only here for 6 years and was already the 2nd greatest Maverick ever.
Thank you for everything, Luka.
We will always love you in Dallas 💙 pic.twitter.com/zHC84PQj1a
— MavsMuse (@MavsMuse) February 2, 2025
Former Mavericks who are now with the Lakers are Luka Doncic and Maxi Kleber. On the other side, we have Anthony Davis and Max Christie as players who once donned Los Angeles’ uniforms. Another ex-Laker, D’Angelo Russell, just joined the Mavericks, too.
Awkward Moments: Coaches
Aside from the players, we have coaches who will be facing their former teams. When the Lakers won the title back in 2020, Frank Vogel was the coach, and he had Jason Kidd as an assistant. Now, both can be seen with the Mavericks with their roles reversed. Kidd is now the head coach, and Vogel comes in as the assistant.
New Additions
Usually, the No. 1 pick in the draft goes to a bad team. That was not the case this year. Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, joins a star-studded Dallas team, and fans cannot wait for his first game. The hype is already there since Flagg is expected to be an “all-around” type of player.
Cooper Flagg has an 82 overall rating in NBA 2K26, the second-highest rookie rating EVER, behind only Victor Wembanyama’s 84 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JnYcxiH8Th
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) August 1, 2025
For the Lakers, DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart are easily the most important additions to the squad. Ayton automatically addresses Los Angeles’ problem of not having a center. Meanwhile, Smart can be another ball handler in case Doncic is hounded by a couple of defenders.
Beginning of the End?
LeBron James, playing in Year 23 of his career, should have a big impact on the team now and well into the season. Imagine all those road games where fans are going to treat it as a “last chance to see LeBron James” game. Fans will certainly tune in.
Passing of the Torch?
James can probably see himself in Flagg. Both were No. 1 picks, almost have the same height, and are facilitators on the court. If Flagg goes on to have an excellent career, it would be cool to look back on this day and say this game started it all.
Main Image Credit: NBA.com / Lakers
