The Dallas Mavericks will kick off the 2021-22 season tonight when they travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks at 6:30 pm CST. With most teams opening last night, the Mavericks and Hawks are two of four teams beginning to play tonight, the others being the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas is 36-44 all-time against Atlanta, although the Mavericks won both games with the Hawks last season.
The Mavs are hoping to avenge a frustrating end to last season, as they were up 2-0 and 3-2 against the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, but were unable to advance. Dallas went 42-30 in the regular season and earned the fifth seed for the Western Conference Playoffs. During the preseason, the Mavericks went 4-0, winning all but one game by ten points or more, including a 127-59 victory at the Charlotte Hornets on October 13th. Dallas was able to share the ball, as at least four players scored ten or more points in each game.
Forward-guard Luka Dončić returns to the Mavericks after leading the team with 27.7 points per game last season, earning him a spot on the All-NBA First Team. He is joined by forward-center Kristaps Porzingis, who averaged 20.1 points per game and a team-high 8.9 rebounds per game in 43 games last year. Porzingis also had a .476 field goal percentage, the highest of his career.
The Hawks are hoping to make it to the NBA Finals after falling 4-2 to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Atlanta went 41-31 to earn the fifth seed for the playoffs. This year, the Hawks split their preseason, losing the first two games and taking the last two, the final game being a 127-92 blowout of the Miami Heat last Thursday. Guard Trae Young had 41 points and 18 assists in his two preseason games, including 27 points and 15 assists in the preseason finale.
Young returns after leading Atlanta with 25.3 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game last season. The rebounds, along with his field goal percentage of .438, were career highs. He is joined by center Clint Capella, who averaged 15.2 points per game and led the NBA with 14.3 rebounds per game in 2020-21.
The game will be televised on TNT and NBA League Pass.
