The Dallas Mavericks are hitting the American Airlines Center tonight for their final preseason showdown against the Atlanta Hawks, and let’s be real, the main drama isn’t just the game, it’s the injury report. Dallas is coming off a Wednesday night loss to the Pelicans, a game where they tried to rally but fell short. It’s the last chance for these squads to get things right before the 2026-27 regular season kicks off, so every minute on the court matters, especially for guys trying to shake off the rust or get healthy.
Mavs’ Roster Woes Just Keep Piling Up
Man, the Mavericks’ injury list for tonight is looking pretty rough. Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are definitively out. That’s a couple of big names missing for the final tune-up. Moussa Cisse is still questionable, battling an ankle tweak he picked up on Wednesday. Jett Howard is another iffy guy; he missed that Pelicans game with an illness, so his availability for tonight is up in the air too. And get this, Morez Johnson has shin splints somehow, but we’re still expecting to see him out there. Daniel Gafford, who missed Wednesday’s game with a stinger, is also expected to be on the floor tonight. That’s a lot of uncertainty right before the real games start, you know? But hey, it’s not all bad news. Marcus Sasser, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving are all confirmed to see action tonight. That’s a huge positive, especially getting to see Flagg and Irving together one last time before the season officially begins.
Hawks Roll In Hot, Ready for the Real Deal
Atlanta, on the other hand, is rolling into Dallas with some momentum. This is their fifth and final preseason game, and they’ve won three in a row, including a recent win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. They played six of their top seven guys against OKC on Wednesday, so it’ll be interesting to see who Coach decides to put on the court tonight in their last warm-up. For the Hawks, Henri Veesaar and Mouhamed Gueye are both confirmed out tonight. Still, their core seems pretty set, and they’re looking to keep that winning feeling going into the regular season. The fact that Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving are playing is really what everyone’s tuning in for tonight, myself included.
Tonight’s game at 7:00 pm CST on KFAA is the final dress rehearsal for both squads. It’s the last chance to get those rotations tight and iron out any remaining kinks before the 2026-27 regular season officially starts. After the final buzzer, I’ll be jumping on Pod Maverick live on YouTube, ready to break down all the action, the good, the bad, and especially those injury updates. You definitely don’t want to miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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