Dallas Mavericks NBA schedule release: Mavs face 14 back-to-back sets

Dallas Mavericks released their full regular season schedule for the upcoming season, and they play 14 back-to-back sets in their 82.

The Dallas Mavericks released their regular season schedule for the upcoming 2018-2019 season on Aug. 10.   A full PDF version of their slate is available here.

Today, we focus in on the dreaded back-to-back sets and why the Mavs got a rough deal in those contests.

Back-to-backs

The Dallas Mavericks play 14 back-to-back sets over the course of the season.  That is slightly over the NBA average of 13.3 back-to-backs per team, but not outrageous.  Let us break Dallas’ slate down further, though.

By Month

October

The Mavericks have just one back-to-back set in October, but it won’t be easy.  They draw two playoff teams from last season.  It begins with a home game against Jazz on Oct. 28 before heading to San Antonio to face the Spurs on night two.

November

The Mavs also have one back-to-back in November, but again they face two playoff teams from last season in it.  They host the Wizards on Nov. 6 before traveling to Utah to meet the Jazz the following evening.  Expect a rough game in the second of this back-to-back.

December

Dallas grew a brutal schedule to close out in 2018.  They have four back-to-back sets in the final month of the calendar year.

It opens on Dec. 4 and 5 with a home game against Portland before traveling to New Orleans to face the Pelicans.

They also host the Hawks before heading to Phoenix on Dec. 12 and 13.

In perhaps their toughest back-to-back of the season, the Mavs travel to Golden State and Portland on Dec. 22 and 23.

The month concludes with a home and home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 30 and 31.

January

The new calendar year does not get any easier with three back-to-backs.  The first is at Boston and at Philadelphia on Jan. 4 and 5.  Those two teams figure to be in the elite tier of the Eastern Conference making that set especially tricky.  They also have at Milwaukee before hosting the Clippers on Jan. 21 and 22 and at New York and Detroit to close out January on the 30 and 31.

February

The Mavs have two back-to-backs in February.  They host Portland before heading to Houston on Feb. 10 and 11.  Having to face two likely playoff teams including traveling to the Rockets on night two figures to be very challenging for Dallas.  The Nuggets come to town on Feb. 22 before heading to Utah the next night in the final back-to-back of the month.

March

Dallas faces one and a half back-to-backs in March.  They are at Portland and Sacramento on March 20 and 21.  They also play the first of a back-to-back on March 31 in Oklahoma City before hosting the 76ers the following night.

April

The Mavericks conclude the regular season with April’s only back-to-back.  They host the Suns on April 9 before traveling to San Antonio to face the Spurs to wrap up the campaign.

No easy roads

Playing on consecutive nights is never easy, but Dallas got a particularly challenging slate this season.  Ten of their 14 second games of back-to-back sets are against playoff teams from last season.  Also, 12 of their 14 second contests are on the road.  Expect a rough go for the Mavericks on the back end of these sets.

Final thoughts

The Dallas Mavericks face 14 back-to-back sets in the upcoming season, and it looks to be a challenging slate.

The Mavs should be improved this season and fight for a playoff spot.  Playing well in back-to-backs could be a key in securing a postseason berth, but the schedule did them no favors.

The additions of Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan should, though.  Expect to see Dallas be improved, but the level of improvement will ultimately determine their fate.

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