The Dallas Mavericks’ scheduled 6:30 p.m. CST matchup Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets is increasingly dependent on weather rather than basketball.
A historic winter storm sweeping across the Northeast has created widespread transportation disruptions, leaving both teams outside New York and facing uncertain travel windows.
As of Monday, the game remains on the NBA schedule. However, travel logistics for both clubs remain unresolved. More than 5,000 flights across the United States were canceled Monday as blizzard conditions intensified. LaGuardia Airport has been among the most heavily impacted hubs, with more than 1,000 cancellations reported. Photos from the airport show runways blanketed in snow as plows attempt to clear accumulation.
New York City remains under a full travel ban for non-essential vehicles through noon Monday as part of a declared state of emergency. Blizzard warnings extend through the day, with forecasts calling for 1–2 feet of snow and wind gusts between 30–55 mph. The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned of “near-impossible travel” conditions and potential whiteout visibility across Downstate New York.
Public transit operations have been significantly curtailed. NJ Transit suspended all train, bus, light rail and access link services until further notice. In New York City, some express subway trains are operating on local tracks, though the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has warned of severe delays and advised customers to avoid travel. Bus service remains limited.
Both Teams Face Departure Uncertainty
The Mavericks are currently in Indianapolis following Sunday’s win over the Indiana Pacers and are scheduled to practice on Monday before attempting to travel to New York City. However, flight availability remains fluid, and Dallas may also be unable to depart Indianapolis on Monday, depending on airport operations and weather-related capacity reductions.
Brooklyn faces similar complications. The Nets are not expected to depart Atlanta on Monday and are currently planning to attempt a return flight Tuesday morning.
With both teams outside the New York market and regional airports operating under significant strain, the margin to stage Tuesday’s game has narrowed considerably.
Head coach Jason Kidd addressed the uncertainty following Sunday’s contest.
“You might not be able to get there — so it’s all good. I’m joking,” Kidd said. “The weather — I don’t know why we’re going to be affected and you’re going to be affected. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. We can’t leave until the evening and there’s no guarantee. We’ve been in this situation before. Hopefully we can get out and get to New York. Brooklyn’s in Atlanta in the same situation. Hopefully there’s a game, because I don’t know in our calendar where we can make one up.”
If either team remains grounded into Tuesday, operational considerations would include arena staffing, team preparation time and overall game-day logistics.
NBA Holds Final Authority
Under NBA protocol, only the league office has authority to postpone or reschedule games. Earlier this season, the NBA postponed the Mavericks’ matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks when winter weather prevented Dallas from departing North Texas. In other instances, the league has adjusted tip times on short notice when teams were able to arrive later than planned.
Players acknowledged the possibility of an extended travel day.
“I’m not really too happy about it,” P.J. Washington said. “I don’t think anybody wants to stay the night here. It is what it is. We’ve been dealing with stuff like that the whole year. Just hope we get there.”
Khris Middleton, who has navigated winter travel challenges during his Eastern Conference career, is optimistic that this will be the last one for a while.
“Yeah, long day. In the East and Midwest, you deal with snowstorms once in a while,” Middleton said. “The last couple years they’ve been coming down on us. Hopefully this is the last one. Thankfully I didn’t deal with that much in Dallas.”
As of Monday evening, Tuesday’s game in Brooklyn remains scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST. Final determination will depend on whether both teams can safely arrive within the shrinking travel window.
Further updates are expected as conditions evolve.