The Dallas Mavericks fell to a 96-110 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in preseason, marking the Mavs preseason record as 0-3 so far. The Mavericks did start the first quarter in control of the game but were overwhelmed by the aggressive Clippers defense that they couldn't overcome without the presence of either Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving .
The Clippers are 3-1 in preseason and were led by a phenomenal playmaking performance by James Harden , who dropped 10 points and 12 assists in 22 minutes. Kevin Porter Jr. shined off the bench with 18 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals while Derrick Jones Jr. put up 12 points against his former team. Ivica Zubac pulled off an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double while Norman Powell put up 13 points.
The Mavericks were led by new addition Quentin Grimes dropping 20 points (7-11 FG) and Jaden Hardy's 16 points (6-10 FG) but were held back by Klay Thompson scoring 0 points on 0-9 shooting from the field. P.J. Washington had a solid outing with 10 points and three steals while preseason addition Jazian Gortman continued his strong run of performances with 13 points. Center Dereck Lively II had eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in the contest.
Here are three major takeaways I have from the Mavericks falling to their third consecutive preseason loss.
Klay Thompson Might Lose His Starter Spot
This was Klay Thompson's second game on the Mavericks this preseason, with the four-time champion having a forgettable night against the Clippers. Thompson looked out of rhythm in his 0-9 shooting performance as the Clippers' perimeter defenders ensured he remained uncomfortable by chasing him off his spot and forcing him to take shots.
Since Klay is expected to be a starter for the Mavs this season, these performances can be worrying. Thompson scored 10 points in his preseason debut against the Utah Jazz , going 3-5 on threes.
He was a 38.7% shooter from three last season, so getting even that production would be helpful, but Klay didn't look capable of that tonight. Encouraging performances from Quentin Grimes (20 PTS, 7-11 FG) and Naji Marshall (6 PTS, 2-9 FG) show that Thompson will have to fight to keep his spot as a starter this season.
Grimes in particular is a better athlete and more aggressive defender than Klay, so the argument of starting Thompson over him will reduce if Thompson's offensive production can't back his value. The Clippers game showed the two players are on different ends of the readiness spectrum at the moment.
One of the biggest issues behind Klay's success is that Luka Doncic hasn't played a preseason game yet due to a calf injury. The spacing on the squad dramatically changes with Luka's gravity. Kyrie was also not playing tonight, so this game might not be representative of the role Klay will have in the season when they are healthy.
Jaden Hardy Usurping Spencer Dinwiddie In Rotational Plans
The Mavericks brought Spencer Dinwiddie (3 PTS, 1-5 FG) back this offseason after a season-and-a-half away from the franchise, including Dinwiddie turning them down to join the Lakers last winter . Dinwiddie was widely expected to be the team's backup point guard but his position doesn't look solid so far through preseason with third-year guard Jaden Hardy (16 PTS, 6-10 FG) proving he can take that spot.
Dinwiddie averaged 17.7 points the last time he was on the Mavericks but has averaged 5.6 points on 26.3% from the field through three preseason games. Hardy has averaged 16.3 points on 40.5% from the field through preseason, earning plaudits from coach Jason Kidd , and is increasingly looking like he's solidifying a rotational spot on the Mavs this season.
Hardy is a microwave scorer like Dinwiddie and showed his offensive versatility in the preseason game against the Clippers, effectively scoring from all three levels of the court. He also seems unfazed in the face of tough defenses or shooting slumps, consistently trying to find ways to score, an asset that the Mavs need beyond their starting backcourt of Doncic and Irving.
Dinwiddie is back on the Mavs but it's a team with a different identity that isn't chucking up three-point shots like they were in 2023. If he can't provide more than Hardy right now, there's very little reason to trust him over the 22-year-old Hardy who has a higher ceiling as well.
A Major Playmaking Deficit Beyond Luka Doncic
The Mavericks have been overly reliant on Doncic in multiple areas for the last few seasons. Playmaking is something that the Mavericks have rarely prioritized in their lineup behind Doncic given his supreme ability as a floor-reader with one of the highest usage percentages in the NBA. The game against the Clippers showed that the Mavs have little half-court imagination without Doncic at their disposal.
The Mavs put up 21 assists as a team tonight compared to the Clippers' 31 assists. The Mavs' assists are low for a team primarily filled with complementary off-ball players who thrive on having a point guard to create openings on the wing or easy lobs at the rim. Doncic averaged 9.8 assists last season due to his ability to draw multiple bodies and then make the right read to whoever is left open.
Backup guards Hardy (4 AST) and Dinwiddie (1 AST) showed against the Clippers that they are better equipped to be scorers, while Jazian Gortman (0 AST) and Brandon Williams (1 AST) also proved to be imperfect playmakers. Gortman has shown through preseason (14.3 PTS over three games) he can be a contributor as a guard, but he's a primary scoring option and not a playmaker.
Some experts think Doncic will be in action for the Mavs' final preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, so we'll get a better idea of how this Mavs roster really plays when the person who the team is built around is available.
Related: 3 Blockbuster Trades The Mavericks Should Consider For The 2024-25 Season
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