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The Big D Breakdown: Poulakidas And Cisse Cash In On Minutes

Two bench pieces are soaking up extra minutes before Dallas even opens the preseason.

+12 minutes a nightPoulakidas Minuteslast 3 games, teammate out
26.0 minutes a nightCisse Minuteslast 5 games, up 12.0
2026-10-09Preseason Openervs Rockets, NBA TV
$197.9MPayrollover cap, under tax
By the Mavericks Nightly Desk · Sunday, October 4

John Poulakidas is averaging 12 more minutes a night over his last three games with a teammate out, and Moussa Cisse's workload has nearly doubled to 26.0 minutes a night over his last five. Both jumps arrive before Dallas plays its preseason opener Oct. 9 against Houston.

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Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Poulakidas Cashes In

Poulakidas is playing 12 more minutes a night over his last three games, with a teammate sidelined, and his 40.3 percent clip from three last season is the reason Dusty May trusts him with the extra run. That stretch lines up with the window where Morez Johnson Jr., Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama and Kyrie Irving have each carried a projected Oct. 9 return. Last season's sample was just 13 games and 19.5 minutes a night; this one is already bigger.

Cisse's Workload Swells

Cisse is up 12.0 minutes a night to 26.0 over his last five games, nearly double his season average, and the next five decide whether that run holds. Dallas already guaranteed his 2026-27 salary on Oct. 1, locking in the roster spot behind that workload.

Opener Three Weeks Out

Dallas opens its preseason Oct. 9 against Houston on NBA TV, then plays the Rockets again Oct. 11, hosts New Orleans Oct. 14 and Atlanta Oct. 16. The regular season opener is set for Oct. 21, also at Houston.

Why is John Poulakidas playing more minutes?

Dallas has a teammate out, and Poulakidas is up 12 minutes a night over his last three games as a result, building on a 13-game, 19.5-minute run last season.

Have the Mavericks played a regular season game yet?

No, Dallas is 0-0 with the preseason opening Oct. 9 against Houston and the regular season opener set for Oct. 21, also at Houston.

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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