Breaking the Tie with Spurs for Most Games Played in Mexico
Following their match against the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Mexico City Game 2025, the Dallas Mavericks will reach eight games in national territory and break the tie with the Spurs for the highest number in NBA history.
Background on Mavericks’ History in Mexico
Currently tied with the Spurs at seven games, including preseason and regular season, the Mavericks will face the Pistons on November 1, 2025, to reach eight and break the tie with San Antonio.
Interestingly, the Mavericks were pioneers of the NBA in Mexico. They lost 102-104 to the Houston Rockets in the first NBA game in the country, played on October 27, 1992, at the Palace of Sports as a preseason match.
- Mavericks returned for two games in 1996 (against Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers) and their first regular-season game was December 7, 1997, once again against the Rockets.
- Their last preseason game in Mexico was October 5, 2003, when they lost 85-90 to the Utah Jazz.
- They played two more regular-season games: January 12, 2017 against Phoenix Suns (won 113-108) and December 12, 2019 against Detroit Pistons (won 122-111), both held at the Arena CDMX.
Pistons’ History in Mexico
Detroit Pistons have only played in Mexico three times. Their first was on October 29, 1995, at the Palace of Sports against Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards), winning 110-99. Their most recent regular-season game in Mexico was against the Mavericks in 2019, which had 20,064 attendees at the Arena CDMX.
In total, 23 NBA teams have played at least one game in Mexico between 1992 and 2025. The Mavericks will lead the record with eight visits, followed by the Spurs with seven, and Rockets and Suns with six.
Specifically regarding regular-season games, this will be the 15th NBA game in Mexico, starting with the Mavericks vs. Rockets in 1997.
Current Standings of Both Teams
The 2025-26 NBA season just began on October 21, making it difficult to predict playoff destinations.
- In the Eastern Conference, Detroit Pistons are sixth with a positive record of three wins and two losses. They’ve defeated Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic before arriving in Mexico.
- In the Western Conference, Dallas Mavericks are twelfth with a negative record of three losses and two wins. Despite their recent 107-105 victory over Indiana Pacers, they previously lost to Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, and San Antonio Spurs.
- The toughest blow for Mavericks and NBA fans in Mexico was Anthony Davis’s muscle injury in that Pacers victory.
At 32, Davis is one of the Mavericks’ key players, having been selected for the All-Star Game ten times and winning the NBA Finals in 2020 while playing for Los Angeles Lakers alongside LeBron James.
Davis’s participation in Mexico this weekend is uncertain, though the Mavericks have also listed Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson in their roster. Irving, a nine-time All-Star and 2016 champion with Cleveland Cavaliers, and Thompson, a five-time All-Star and four-time champion with Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022), may not play due to injuries. On the Pistons’ side, keep an eye on Cade Cunningham, a 24-year-old guard selected for the 2025 All-Star Game.
