2024-10-25 10:10:03
The Dallas Mavericks’ 2024-25 season opener was one of the most anticipated opening nights in recent memory considering how well the team performed last season, but the headliner of this event was Klay Thompson making his debut.
Thompson put together some up-and-down performances in his three preseason appearances for Dallas, and fans finally got to see how he looks playing next to Luka Doncic against the San Antonio Spurs.
Thompson started the game hot as he drilled his first two shots, one mid-range jumper and one three from the corner, but his performance on the other end also caught the eye of many fans.
During the preseason, Thompson made it clear that he wanted to prove that he is still a good defender, and it only took him a couple of minutes to prove that against San Antonio. He believes that he is still the defender that he was during his prime in Golden State, and Thursday’s game against the Spurs was a good step in the right direction for him to reverse the narrative that his defense has majorly declined.
In the first five minutes of the game, Thompson forced Victor Wembanyama into two turnovers. His active hands on that end were evident right away, and he left his mark on this game early on the defensive end. Jason Kidd had Thompson defend Chris Paul to begin this game, and even though Paul isn’t the same player he once was, Thompson still made it an emphasis to play tight defense on the perimeter and not give up anything easy.
Thompson’s lateral quickness is one of his biggest knocks from analysts and fans alike when discussing his defense, and he has proved that he still can move his feet when he needs to. Brandon Williams even complimented Thompson’s lateral quickness during Media Day, and if Thompson can consistently defend like this, the Mavs will be in a great spot.
With Thompson being reported as the guaranteed starter during the offseason, tons of media were immediately concerned and claimed that Naji Marshall should start instead. There was concern that Thompson’s defense wouldn’t be good enough to play alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the starting five, and Thompson showed that wouldn’t be the case.
He displayed that Kidd can rely upon him to take on some tougher defensive assignments when needed, and that is a huge plus for Dallas. The Mavs just need him to be average or better on that end, and Thursday night’s game showed that the concerns about his defense could end up being nonexistent by the end of the year.
His shooting remains unworldly, and as long as he can hold his own on defense and not become a liability, fans will be jumping for joy. Thompson typically seems to be in the right spots, and the Mavs would be thrilled if he can continue to be a positive on that end.
