The Dallas Mavericks kicked off a new NBA chapter in franchise history with Klay Thompson, scoring an impressive 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Reflecting on his debut with Dallas, Thompson shared his excitement about playing alongside superstar Luka Doncic.
This was Thompson’s first game with Doncic, who missed preseason action while recovering from a calf injury. Although he logged minutes alongside Kyrie Irving in preseason friendlies, this marked the first time Dallas’s new “Big Three” shared the court.
“It was great to be out there with Luka. What an incredible talent,” Thompson said during the post-game press conference. “It doesn’t make any sense because what we’re taught growing up is, as far as being the best basketball player, you gotta jump the highest, you gotta run the fastest, but somehow Luka defies that. He plays at his own speed, and he manipulates the game as good as I’ve ever seen anyone do it.”
Dallas added Thompson to strengthen their perimeter shooting, and he delivered, hitting six of ten three-pointers and becoming the first Maverick to reach this mark in his debut.
Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks congratulates Luka Doncic #77 on his three-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter at American Airlines Center. Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Thompson reflects on his memorable debut
All eyes were on Thompson’s Mavericks debut, and the former Golden State Warriors star didn’t disappoint, showing he still performs at an elite level.
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“Well, the feelings were a lot of nerves, anxiousness, but after a few minutes and seeing one [shot] go through, you feel great. Great debut,” Thompson remarked post-game. “It’s only one game in October, but it feels good to get the first one out the way. Setting a record is always a great feeling and something I’ll never take for granted.”
Focused and determined after standout performance
Thompson had a shaky preseason but looked sharp in his official debut, thanks in part to the chemistry he’s already building with Doncic. However, he’s staying grounded, aiming for continued improvement.
“Tonight was a great start, but I’m not satisfied,” Thompson said. “We have so much basketball ahead, and from my experience, you can never get too high during the regular season. We have really big goals. So, one good win at home is not going to satisfy any of us. We want to be really, really good this year and get back to where they were last year.”
