Overview
- Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center, with Dallas at 1-3 facing winless Indiana at 0-3.
- The Pacers remain without Tyrese Haliburton for the season due to an Achilles injury, with Bennedict Mathurin week-to-week for a right big toe sprain and Obi Toppin out at least a month with right hamstring soreness.
- Indiana signed Mac McClung for backcourt depth and waived James Wiseman as injuries reshaped the rotation.
- Dallas has shown early inconsistency after a split against Toronto and Oklahoma City, with D’Angelo Russell emerging as a steady option at point and rookie Cooper Flagg coming off a 1-for-10 night after a left-shoulder bump without a game-day designation.
- Rick Carlisle has won six of eight meetings against Jason Kidd’s Mavericks since leaving Dallas in 2021.