ESPN, Mavs.com and Mavs Moneyball all framed the 122-106 loss to San Antonio as a short-handed team running out of gas. The fade is real, but the box score says the absences are only part of it, and Irving's status for Miami is still unsettled.
Flagg's shoulder, read carefully
ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Cooper Flagg sat out the home opener with a mild left shoulder sprain, and Hoops Rumors said he will be reevaluated next week. The Smoking Cuban called the news promising after what it described as a dangerous fall against Indiana. Dallas's own injury list has Flagg out with an estimated return of 2026-11-02. That date is an estimate, not a clearance. The facts support one thing: he is out until someone examines him again. They say nothing about how serious the sprain is beyond what ESPN reported.
Irving and the Miami question
Mavs.com reported that the club was cautious as Kyrie Irving sat out the back end of the back-to-back against the Spurs. He scored 24 at Indiana the night before. His left knee is still tagged, and his estimated return is 2026-10-26, the Miami date. That is a target, not a confirmation. ESPN previewed Miami as a team looking to end a three-game slide, and the Heat are 0-3 with a 121.4 defensive rating. Irving's $39.5M is the largest number on the payroll, which is why the caution matters. The Heat game is the first real test of it.
Was it the absences?
Mavs.com said Dallas faded late with its stars sidelined, and Mavs Moneyball called it a late crumble while praising Sergio de Larrea. The numbers agree on the fade. Dallas scored 17 in the fourth against 30 for San Antonio, which ran off an 11-0 and a 10-0 stretch. De Larrea's 21 points on 9-15 shooting were the best thing in the building for Dallas. The absences explain the thin bench, with Santi Aldama, Caleb Martin and Tarik Biberovic all out. They do not explain the worst plus-minus numbers. Max Christie was a minus-22 and P.J. Washington a minus-18, and both are healthy rotation players. Dereck Lively II is estimated back on 2026-10-28, after Miami.
Will Kyrie Irving play against the Heat?
His estimated return is 2026-10-26, the day of the Miami game, but it is not confirmed. Mavs.com reported the club was cautious when he sat out against the Spurs.
When is Cooper Flagg expected back?
Dallas lists an estimated return of 2026-11-02. Hoops Rumors reported he will be reevaluated next week, so that date can still move.
