Dallas Mavericks game previews between October 24 and October 30, including games against: Houston Rockets, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers.

The Mavericks open the 2016-2017 NBA season with three games this week. The key to the start of the season will be the team developing familiarity and rhythm with newcomers inside coach Rick Carlisle’s schemes and sets. Also look for an improved defense via Barnes and Bogut in the frontcourt and from Wesley Matthews as he is more than a year into his recovery from an achilles injury.

Indiana Pacers

Wednesday, 26 October 2016 at 07:00 PM ET Away

The NBA season kicks off for the Mavericks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against a retooled Pacers team led by Paul George and new head coach Nate McMillan. Notable new faces for the Pacers include Al Jefferson, Thaddeus Young and former all-star Jeff Teague. The Pacers have shifted to a more modern pace and space offense around Paul George and second-year player Myles Turner. Frontcourt defense from Dallas’s new off-season acquisitions Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut should be an important factor in this game.

Houston Rockets

Friday, 28 October 2016 at 08:30 PM ET Home

Friday’s home opener begins a two-game home and away series against the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have made some minor adjustments to their roster, but their most important player remains James Harden. Last season the Rockets nearly missed the playoffs as the team collapsed under chemistry issues, creating a lot of questions about leadership and commitment to success (read: defense). Already an offense-oriented team, the Rockets added Mike D’Antoni as coach to bring even more offensive power. The Mavericks will need to get a few defensive stops and counterpunch Houston’s weak defense to outlast the frenzied Rockets attack.

Houston Rockets

Sunday, 30 October 2016 at 08:00 PM ET Away

Round 2 of the two-game mini series with Houston. The Rockets will stay focused on offense behind Harden’s stellar scoring ability, while the Mavericks may make adjustments to keep Harden away from the paint and off the line. Expect to see a bit more from the bench for both teams as the season is still early and both teams will look to experiment more.