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Mavericks, Lakers to meet in preseason game at T-Mobile Arena

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks will play an exhibition game Oct. 15 at T-Mobile Arena, it was announced Monday. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, celebrates with teammate forward LeBron James duri ...
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, celebrates with teammate forward LeBron James during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball while defended by Dallas Mavericks gua ...
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball while defended by Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball draft combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, ...
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball draft combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball draft combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, ...
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball draft combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, ...
Cooper Flagg participates at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles up the court during the first half of Game 2 ...
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles up the court during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gets ready to defend in front of forward LeBron James ...
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gets ready to defend in front of forward LeBron James during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, sits next to forward LeBron James on the bench bef ...
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Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) and Luka Doncic (77) watch action during the second half ...
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By / Las Vegas Review-Journal
June 2, 2025 - 11:32 am
 

The NBA is bringing a star-studded matchup to its annual preseason showcase in Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks will play an exhibition game Oct. 15 at T-Mobile Arena, it was announced Monday.

The Lakers have played preseason games in Las Vegas dating to 1988 at the Thomas &Mack Center, but none carries a storyline as big as this one.

This will mark the first meeting of the 2025-26 season between the two teams that orchestrated the NBA’s blockbuster trade of the year.

The Mavericks sent superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers — pairing him with LeBron James — for star forward Anthony Davis and guard Max Christie.

Los Angeles went 23-13 after the trade and was the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

Dallas, less than a year removed from making the NBA Finals with Doncic, went 13-23 after the trade — and being hurt by multiple injuries — and lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

But the Mavericks are the champions of the offseason after winning the NBA draft lottery for the first time, landing the No. 1 overall pick despite 1.8 percent odds. The Mavericks are expected to take 18-year-old Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the first pick to team with Davis and star guard Kyrie Irving.

Irving is recovering from a torn ACL and is not expected to return until January.

Dallas held its training camp at Mendenhall Center at UNLV last season, its first full year under new team governor Patrick Dumont.

The Review-Journal is owned by the Adelson family, including Las Vegas Sands President and COO Patrick Dumont.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.

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