3 things we learned from Dallas Mavericks' 2021-22 NBA season opener
The Dallas Mavericks started their 2021-22 NBA regular season with a disappointing loss against the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena. After an unbeaten preseason, the Mavs would have liked to start their regular-season campaign with a win. However, an impressive team performance from the Hawks saw the Mavericks end up on the wrong side of a 113-87 scoreline.
The game was pretty even in the first quarter, but the Hawks put up a fabulous defensive show to assert their ascendancy over the Mavericks. In the third quarter of the game, the Hawks outscored the Mavs by 15 points, taking a massive 22-point lead into the final quarter of the game.
The fourth quarter was more of the same, as the Hawks continued their domination of the Mavs to record a scintillating win. Nevertheless, in his post-game press conference, coach Jason Kidd sounded confident about his team's chances of bouncing back from the defeat. Speaking about the loss against the Hawks, Kidd said:
"They are a good team, they didn't just make it to the Eastern Conference finals by accident. They have a great coach; they have a really good team; they were physical tonight on both ends, and so we knew we had our hands full."
"But I thought that first quarter opening night, everybody's trying to feel their way through, and they start making shots, and we just had some shots that went in and out, and it kind of just, you know that was our night."
The Dallas Mavericks will now hope to bounce back soon and return to winning ways. On that note, here are the three things we learnt from the Mavericks' opening game of the 2021-22 season:
#3 The bigs could play significant roles for the Dallas Mavericks this season
The Dallas Mavericks started with Dwight Powell and Kristaps Porzingis in their season opener.
The duo has a lot of potential, and given their size, they could be assets for the Mavs going forward this season. Luka Doncic certainly grabs a lot of rebounds, but starting Dwight Powell and Porzingis would give him the opportunity to focus better on the offensive side of things.
🦄 in his 🎒 https://t.co/jFRv6j5BLD
Willie Cauley-Stein and Maxi Kleber came off the bench for the Mavs, and fared well in the limited game time they received. They could be extremely good backups and add a lot of size to the team.
Throughout the game, the Mavericks played with at least one big man on the floor. That could be the way the Mavs could play this season.
#2 Jason Kidd's arrival seems to have built up a lot of chemistry in the team
Jason Kidd's arrival in the offseason had Mavs fans excited. The new head coach made his intentions clear that he wanted Kristaps Porzingis to stay with the team, despite rumors of the Latvian wanting his way out. He met both Luka Doncic and Porzingis during the offseason, and spent some time with them to get to know them better.
That certainly seems to have paid off, as both players came into training camp rejuvenated and in high spirits. Porzingis worked hard during the offseason, so and everyone in the franchise are excited to see him perform this season.
During their unbeaten run in the preseason, the Mavs bench seemed ecstatic as things went well for them. The team oozed confidence, and are confident of delivering their best during the 2021-22 season.
Boban hit back-2-back threes, and the Mavs bench was loving it. 🔥
https://t.co/QdNjPMbcHv
Despite a loss in their season opener, Doncic and coach Kidd sounded confident of bouncing back and getting things sorted before their next game against the Toronto Raptors. If the team continues operating in the same vein, they have a chance of making a deep run in the playoffs this season.
#1 Jalen Brunson could be a pivotal part of the team during the 2021-22 season
Jalen Brunson was one of the positives in the Mavs' opening-night loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He scored 17 points while shooting at 53.8% shooting from the field.
Coach Kidd and the players in the team trust Brunson and his abilities. The 25-year-old looked phenomenal in the preseason, and has promised to be a key player for the Mavs. Speaking about Brunson's performance against the Hawks, Kidd said:
"When you look at JB, he understands and is a true competitor. He fought to the end. Wasn't going offensively, but he stayed with it and got shots, and hopefully that will be a carry over for Game 2."
Mavs used Jalen Brunson as a screener a bit toward the end of the half. Not something we saw much of last season - usually if a guard/wing screened for him it was Hardaway. Couple nice plays off the bounce here, could be something they go to if opponent is pressuring Luka. https://t.co/ZvsRMWH7RD
Jalen Brunson could be one of the first players to come off the bench for the Mavericks. He will hope to continue delivering similar performances and help the Mavs secure wins as the season progresses.
The Mavericks may have lost their game against the Hawks. But the team's desire to learn from the defeat is a great positive, and could help them in the long run. Jason Kidd will hope for an improved performance from his players when the Mavericks take the floor for their second game of the season against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.