The Dallas Mavericks survived poor first-half shooting and took down the San Antonio Spurs in their season opener, spoiling the debut of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama. Meanwhile, new Mavericks addition Klay Thompson broke the franchise three-point record en route to a big debut of 22 points and seven rebounds. Likewise, Luka Doncic was two assists shy of a triple-double, with 28 points, ten rebounds, and eight assists. During the postgame interview, Thompson shared what led to his hot shooting.
“Couldn’t ask for a better start. Sharing the floor with Kyrie [Irving], Luka [Doncic], and the rest of the guys… I feel great. Blue is my favorite color and Mavs blue looks good on me,” the former Splash Brother said, via ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter.
NBA opening week: Mavericks def. Spurs
In the Mavericks’ win over the Spurs, Klay Thompson shot 6-10 from three-point range, breaking the team’s franchise record for most threes in a game in his debut. All but one of his shots were from beyond the arc, too, as he ended up shooting 7-13 overall.
Perhaps this shot diet indicates his role within the offense, a catch-and-shoot wingman who can pull the trigger anywhere behind the line whether in the halfcourt or in transition.
Unlike former teammate Stephen Curry, Thompson never handled the ball much, which means he’s a terrific fit as a release valve for his ball-dominant backcourt duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
However, shooting comes and goes, and this hot night might not translate into the next three games. Moreover, Thompson isn’t the defender he once was, so if his shot is off, he won’t give the team much production.
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Still, if he’s hot, he’s one of the best shooters in the world, so the Mavericks should always play him, including high-leverage situations.
Meanwhile, besides a thrilling lob to Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul had eight assists and seven rebounds, though he only scored three points. The French phenom also only had 17 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
While they kept the game close in the first half, the Spurs’ 19 turnovers, lack of physicality on the boards, and poor defense allowed the Mavericks to score 73 points in the second half en route to a comfortable win.