Dallas Basketball

Klay Thompson Makes History in Mavericks Debut

The newest Mavericks signing had quite an opening night for his new team.

Keenan Womack

Oct 17, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) dribbles during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) dribbles during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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While he may have had some struggles in the preseason, Mavericks wing Klay Thompson had no issues shooting the ball in his first regular season game with Dallas. He was 6-for-10 from deep, nearly doubling the percentage he shot in the preseason from deep and giving the Mavs the lift they needed to defeat the San Antonio Spurs.

The four-time NBA Champ had quite a first outing with Dallas, breaking the record for threes in a Mavericks debut by hitting six triples midway through the fourth quarter. His sixth came in the final period with 8:34 left to give him 19 points for the game, setting a new record – and a new standard – for three-point shooting with this team.

READ MORE: Mavericks Use Dominant 2nd Half to Beat Spurs in Season Opener

Dallas took a 21-point lead after the shot, which was created off of a Luka Doncic assist. It seems that all of the offseason talks of Thompson's slowing down may have been exaggerated based on this performance, where he was often finding himself open in the perfect spot for Doncic or other creators to get him the ball. His savvy on the court can't be understated, as he brings an entirely new dimension to a Mavs offense that has badly needed efficient perimeter scoring.

Thompson averaged just 7.0 points per game on 33% shooting from deep in the preseason, but his struggles evaporated in this matchup with the Spurs. Hopefully, he can continue this efficiency throughout the season, as the Mavericks offense is clearly benefiting from the veteran's presence.

READ MORE: Mavericks' Klay Thompson Makes First Official Basket

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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