Dallas, TX
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Coming off one of their best games of the season, the San Antonio Spurs will head back to Texas for a matchup with the rival Dallas Mavericks. It’s the Spurs last game before getting a long break for All-Star Weekend. It will be a good litmus test to see how San Antonio has improved since they last played Dallas on opening night.
In their last contest the Spurs hopped out to an early lead, but couldn’t hold off Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in a 126-119 loss. Dallas has been playing some solid basketball leading up to the all-star break, winning their last five games. The Spurs will lean on the star power of Victor Wembanyama, as they look to start a winning streak heading into the break.
February 14, 2024 | 7:30 PM CT
Watch: BSSW | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Charles Bassey – Out (left knee,) Sidy Cissoko – Out (G League,) David Duke Jr. – Out (G League,) Mamadi Diakite – Out (G League,) Dominick Barlow – Questionable (G League,) Marcus Morris Sr. – Out (not with team)
Mavericks Injuries: Greg Brown III – Out (G League,) Luka Doncic – Probable (broken nose,) Dante Exum – Out (right knee,) Kyrie Irving – Probable (right thumb,) Maxi Kleber – Questionable (right small toe,) Dereck Lively II – Questionable (nasal fracture)
What to watch for
Slowing down Doncic
The Mavericks have one of the best players in the Association in the Slovenian sensation, Doncic. His 70+ point game was one of the highlights of the season, and he’s routinely making defenses look silly. He buried the Spurs in their last matchup, becoming unstoppable in the fourth quarter. He had a triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the win.
Jeremy Sochan has been playing excellent 1-on-1 defense lately, especially against Toronto where he shut down Scottie Barnes. He’ll be tasked with one of the toughest defensive assignments in the NBA. It will be a good test for the second-year wing. If he can’t contain Doncic, expect the Spurs to double and scramble out to shooters once Luka passes.
Executing in the half court
San Antonio was lights out against Toronto, due in part to their offensive execution. They ran effective sets, got Wembanyama the ball in his spots and made timely cuts for easy baskets. The Mavericks, like the Raptors, are a bottom-ten team in defensive rating (117.3.) The Spurs should be able to find opening against Dallas, if they execute offensively. Pay close attention to how they run their sets on Wednesday.
What will Wemby do next?
After notching a triple-double with 10 blocks against the Raptors, expectations are sky-high for the Spurs rookie. Wembanyama seemed to be hitting the rookie wall, until he burst through it on Monday night. In his first matchup with Dallas, he struggled with fouls and didn’t get consistent minutes. Still he finished with 15 points in 23 minutes. The Mavericks bigs shouldn’t give Wembanyama too many troubles, which means he could be in for another big time performance.
Dallas, TX
FC Dallas vs New York Red Bulls: Lineup notes 📝
FC Dallas is on the road again tonight as they are in the Big Apple to take on the New York Red Bulls.
Lineups are in from both sides. Let’s dive into what Eric Quill’s starting group looks like, who is on the bench, and who we believe will see minutes later on in this one.
What Changed From Last Match
After a heavy rotation last weekend, Quill has made several changes. Petar Musa returns to the lineup following being out last weekend with a minor knock. Logan Farrington is also on the bench.
Osaze Urhoghide, Herman Johansson, Kaick and Joaquín Valiente rotate back into the lineup.
Ramiro is an interesting one at the left wing, which could be an interesting experiment for the veteran midfielder. I wonder if we’re really going to see Ran Binyamin more on the wings, instead.
FC Dallas Lineup Notes:
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting XI
Bench
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Who should come off the bench?
Given who all is healthy and available, it seems like we’ll see some rotating in the second half with Cappis, Delgado, and Farrington as good options. Outside of those three, Simmonds and Ibeagha could be additional options late in the game.
Key Question Heading Into Kickoff
Can FC Dallas find a rare positive result at Sports Illustrated Stadium?
If this group is going to turn the corner here on their issues this spring, this is the game to do it. New York has been giving up loads of goals this season, and if the preseason meeting can be considered a preview, Dallas should have no problem figuring out how to put a few on this team.
Suspended: none
International duty: none
Season-ending injury list: Kaka Scabin (knee)
Out: Anderson Julio (Lower leg), Bernard Kamungo (lower leg)
Questionable: none
On Loan: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Enes Sali (Al-Riyadh), Malachi Molina (Nashville SC), Geovane Jesus (North Texas SC), Enzo Newman (North Texas SC)
Unavailable (off-roster): Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras
NY Lineup Notes:
Formation: 4-3-3
Starting XI
How to watch
📅 Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
⚽️ Kickoff: 6:30 PM
🏟 Venue: Sports Illustrated Stadium
📺 Streaming: MLS Season Pass
💬 Gameday Social: #FCDvRBNY
☀️ Weather: 54, partly cloudy
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Dallas, TX
Cowboys passed on 3 stud prospects in NFL Draft who could make them pay
The entire NFL world knew where the Dallas Cowboys were going to allocate the most resources in the 2026 NFL Draft, so no one should be surprised that Dallas used nearly all of their picks on defense. And to be fair to this front office, the Cowboys have drafted rather well for years now.
No one accuses the Cowboys of not having talent, and given this defensive overhaul this offseason, the unit may finally be on the right track. And as long as the offense is in a similar spot in 2026, all the defense needs to do is be average, and Dallas is going to find itself right back in the mix at the top of the NFC.
The Cowboys’ draft has received a universal round of applause. There’s a lot to be excited about with Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, and Jaishawn Barham. But like any draft, Dallas could live to regret passing on these three prospects.
The Dallas Cowboys may regret not taking these 3 players in the NFL Draft
Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE (Pick 15, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Dallas traded up one spot to select Caleb Downs with the 11th pick in Round 1, but Rueben Bain Jr. was still on the board. Downs was a great pick, as the do-it-all defensive back should be able to play multiple roles for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, and not only could he have been the best player available, but he does fill a major need.
Alongside Jalen Thompson, the Cowboys are prepared to trot out some insanely talented defensive backs. However, Bain was available and he could have filled a more important and urgent need for Dallas. In today’s NFL, games are won and lost in the trenches.
Having strong offensive line and defensive line play is crucial for any team. We have seen Dallas struggle here, as they only had 35 sacks in 2025, but it’s not all about high sack totals. Generating consistent pressure does also push opposing quarterbacks out of the pocket and off-schedule.
A strong pass rush also directly benefits the secondary. Bain would have given Dallas an immediate starter, impact player, and someone who fills a monumental need. There is still a Micah Parsons-sized hole along the defensive line.
Elijah Sarratt, WR (Pick 115, Baltimore Ravens)
Dallas had the 112th and 114th overall picks, selecting Drew Shelton, a tackle from Penn State, and Devin Moore, a rangy cornerback from Florida. At pick 115, though, the Baltimore Ravens took Elijah Sarratt, a wide receiver from Indiana
The main thing here is that there really isn’t much of a guarantee that the duo of George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb stays in Dallas for the long-term. Pickens did sign his franchise tag, but some can see the writing on the wall here that next offseason could be filled with more uncertainty at this position.
Elijah Sarratt isn’t nearly the athlete that Pickens or Lamb are, but he’s a big-bodied, possession wide receiver who could have had a chain-moving role for Dallas almost immediately. Defenses are going to key-in on taking away Lamb and Pickens during the game, which does leave a third, reliable wide receiver in the spotlight.
Sarratt is a sure-handed prospect and projects as a security blanket in the NFL. The Cowboys could have gotten present and long-term impacts had they picked the former Hoosier.
Kyle Louis, LB (Pick 138, Miami Dolphins)
The Cowboys took versatile defensive lineman LT Overton at pick 137, just one spot before Kyle Louis, a hybrid linebacker, went to the Miami Dolphins.
While Dallas improved the linebacker room during the draft by trading for Dee Winters and selecting Jaishawn Barham in Round 3, it’s still not where you’d like it to be. Louis could have made a ton of sense here.
Just under 6 feet and 220lbs, Louis is definitely not an ideal linebacker size, but he does boast great speed and athleticism for the position. He’s also been quite productive in college and is incredible in coverage and serviceable against the run.
Sure, the size is a concern, but good players are good players. Given how many changes this team has made along the defensive line and even in the secondary, many fans were waiting for a substantive move at linebacker.
Louis clearly wasn’t who the Cowboys were targeting at pick 137, but he was absolutely the best player available and someone who would have filled one of the main remaining needs on defense.
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