The rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs looks very different this time. Unlike the first meeting, Dallas are set to have Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving available for Wednesday's tip at the Frost Bank Center, which changes the shape of the game immediately.
Ten days earlier, San Antonio controlled the first matchup and won 122-106. The Spurs then backed it up with a 119-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday, while the Mavericks lost 115-100 to the Sacramento Kings the same night. That leaves Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. as a chance for Dallas to reset the series of events, rather than simply chase the game again.
Wembanyama is setting the standard
Victor Wembanyama has been at the centre of San Antonio's surge. He scored 36 points and then 43 points in back-to-back games, and he has now helped the Spurs move from an 0-2 start to five straight wins. That run has changed the tone around a team that now looks far more settled than it did early in the 2026-27 season.
For Dallas, the return of Flagg and Irving matters because it gives them a far stronger base in both creation and scoring. In the first meeting, they were forced to play without both key pieces, and San Antonio took advantage. This time, the Mavericks can at least approach the rematch with a more complete lineup and a better chance of matching the Spurs' pace and physicality.
Dallas need a stronger response
The broader concern for the Mavericks is whether their improved availability can translate into a real performance against a team in form. Santi Aldama was close to debuting for Dallas, while Dereck Lively II was still among the players awaiting health updates, so the picture is still not fully settled. Even so, the return of Flagg and Irving gives Dallas the kind of stability they lacked 10 days earlier.
San Antonio will still feel confident after the first win and their current run, but this rematch should be more competitive. The Spurs have the form, the home court and Wembanyama's momentum. The Mavericks now have the personnel they were missing, and that is why Wednesday's game feels like a much truer test of where both teams stand.
