The NBA preseason is a time of anticipation and excitement as teams arrange their own schedules, pick their opponents, and create their own reasons for playing. This year, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are set to face off in a preseason exhibition game in Las Vegas, a matchup that is sure to generate plenty of buzz and excitement among basketball fans. The decision to play the game was made by the two teams, not the NBA, and it comes just months after one of the most controversial trades in sports history saw the Mavericks deal Luka Dončić to the Lakers. Since the trade, the Lakers have struggled in the playoffs, while the Mavericks have won the NBA Draft lottery and are expected to select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, who will be handed the torch that Dončić carried as the team's franchise player and long-term hope for championship success. The question on everyone's mind is whether Dončić or Flagg, or both, will take the court in the game scheduled for Oct. 15 at T-Mobile Arena. The NBA preseason is a time when teams can arrange their own schedules and pick their own opponents, and there are few rules for the preseason. Teams are not required to play more than six games each year, and the rest is up to them. It seems that the Lakers and Mavericks are content to cash in on the hype in a matchup that should garner considerably more attention than your average NBA preseason contest. The Lakers confirmed the existence of the game on Monday, and it is a game that both teams chose to schedule as is custom with the NBA preseason. The NBA schedule generally isn't set until August, so until then both teams will maintain their collective buzz amid the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip. Whether Dončić or Flagg will see the court in this exhibition game is still unknown, but one thing is certain: this matchup between two of the most storied franchises in basketball history is sure to be a thrilling one. The hype surrounding this game is already palpable, and basketball fans can't wait to see what will happen when these two teams take the court in Las Vegas.
