Mavericks ready to make splash in NBA

By David Mullen

The 2024-2025 NBA season begins for the Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. at a sold-out American Airlines Center against the San Antonio Spurs. Professional basketball has changed dramatically since the first Dallas team, led by Geoff Huston, Jim Spanarkel, Brad Davis and head coach Dick Motta, took the floor at Reunion Arena on October 11, 1980, against the Spurs before 10,373 persevering fans.

One year before the Mavericks’ first season in 1980, the NBA introduced the three-point shot. It had become popular in the now defunct American Basketball Association, and the NBA was struggling to bring excitement and relevance to the game. Initially, three-point shots would be used primarily as a device to play catchup if a team fell behind. Few teams had players proficient in shooting outside of the 23-foot, 9-inch arc. 

Today, the “trey” is in play and here to stay.   

Not a direct comparison but more of a reflection of how the NBA has evolved, in 82 games, the 1980-81 Mavericks attempted 165 three-point shots and made 46. Last year’s 50-win Mavericks attempted 3,242 three-point shots (second in the NBA) and made 1,187 (third in the NBA). Today, the three-point shot is integrated into the overall game strategy, not a desperation attempt used to overcome a late deficit.   

The Mavericks have excellent three-point shooters in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. In 1979-80, the NBA’s leading three-point shooter was Freddie “Downtown” Brown of the Seattle Supersonics. He attempted 1.1 three pointers per game and converted at a .443 clip. Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer last season with a 33.9 ppg average, attempted 10.6 threes per game. Irving averaged .441 on three-point attempts, good for 27th in the league.

In the offseason, the Mavericks acquired guard Klay Thompson, 34, from the Golden State Warriors to increase their three-point proficiency. Thompson is the sixth leading three-point shooter in NBA history, behind former teammate and “Splash Brother” Stephen Curry, the greatest outside shooter of all time. 

The concern, based on a bad last season, poor preseason and an aging body, is whether the previous former “Splash Brother” can still make a splash. If Thompson can regain his shooting touch, head coach Jason Kidd will maximize his value off the bench to take the shooting pressure off of Doncic and Irving.

The Mavs also reacquired guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who made critical shots for the Mavericks in their unexpected playoff run in the 2021-22 season. The Mavs lost the Western Conference Finals to Thompson, Curry and the eventual NBA Champion Warriors. Thompson joins Dallas with four championship rings.

When the Mavs struggled on defense mid-season last year, GM Nico Harrison and the vastly underrated Kidd went to work. Trades brought in P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to improve the frontcourt presence. Rookie center Dereck Lively II got better as the season progressed. The Dallas defense improved dramatically in the second half of last season.

Winning the Western Conference is a monumental challenge. Eleven teams finished last season with a .500 or better record. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.1 ppg), the Oklahoma City Thunder have five double digit scorers, and the are 25-years old or younger. The Denver Nuggets remain a top team led by perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, and the Minnesota Timberwolves will build around Anthony Edwards and without Karl-Anthony Towns, traded to the New York Knicks in the offseason.

The Los Angeles Clippers are always difficult to figure out, but still finished ahead of the Mavericks and were 20 games over .500 last season. The Phoenix Suns and Golden State are always dangerous when healthy, and the New Orleans Pelicans can thrive if Zion Williamson stays in shape and plays a full season. The small-market Sacramento Kings are the most underestimated team in the West, while the young Houston Rockets and the Spurs with 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama are getting better with age.

The Mavs must get through the West before considering the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and the rest of the Eastern Conference. 

Going into the last season, there was concern if Doncic and Irving could play together. They both like to shoot the basketball, and Irving had a reputation as a team disruptor. But Irving has been a model teammate since joining the Mavericks. He went from a moody recluse to an insightful, energetic leader. 

As great as Doncic is, he needs to improve his on-court demeanor. As unlikely as this would have been just a few seasons ago, Irving might become a positive influence for Doncic.  

Seven of the Mavs’ first nine games this season are at home. Of their early opponents, only the Timberwolves had a better record last season than Dallas. The Mavericks must get off to a quick start in the highly competitive Western Conference if they hope for a repeat visit to the NBA Finals, which begin on Thursday, June 5, 2025. In the meantime, it will be raining three-point shots in Dallas if the Mavericks are to weather the storm in the Western Conference.