Dirk Nowitzki finds Jason Kidd for a three-pointer with just under four minutes left in Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals. We all know how the rest of that game—and that series—played out. So does Klay Thompson. He has watched the Road to the Championship highlight video countless times, and he wants his teammates to watch it, too. It’s hard to miss. The video plays on a loop on a monitor inside the Mavericks’ practice facility.
As a leader on this team, Thompson told me he wants the younger players to understand “how much of a team those guys were—guys being called upon every night to step up and do something they’re not used to—and to see all the little plays that add up to winning a championship.” That road begins tonight against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The Mavericks return 13 of 15 players who were on the roster at the end of last season, but the vibe feels completely different. Several key shifts have reshaped the landscape as the new campaign tips off.
For starters, the front row of Kidd’s bench looks entirely different. Jared Dudley moved up to become the top assistant in Denver. Alex Jensen took over the Utah Utes of the Big 12. And long time Kidd confidant Sean Sweeney is now the associate head coach in San Antonio. Each earned a promotion—a sign that Kidd’s coaching tree is branching out. But how he replaced that trio may be even more impressive.
Popeye Jones returns to Dallas to fill the traditional role of a former player voice on the front of the bench. Behind the bench, Phil Handy (ballhandling) and Mike Penberthy (shooting) will provide vital developmental work. Kidd’s two coordinators both bring head-coaching experience. Frank Vogel won a title helming the Lakers—Kidd was one of his top lieutenants—and now oversees a defense already molded in his image. Jay Triano, who has led teams in Toronto and Phoenix as well as Team Canada, will direct the offense.
If you watched any of the preseason games, you noticed it immediately: more ball and body movement. Gone are the static isolations and high pick-and-roll sets with four players standing around. Cutting is the new spacing, and Triano emphasizes constant motion, purposeful cuts, and proper floor balance to generate open looks—either from deep, at the rim, or at the line.
Shooting remains an area to monitor, but if the offense consistently creates open (defender 4 to 6 feet away) and wide-open (6-plus feet away) shots, the percentages should rise. A correct shot profile is critical, which means limiting inefficient mid-range attempts. Last season, Dallas had the fifth-lowest three-point attempt rate in the league. Sometimes the math really is the math.
No team is flawless. Last postseason, the Thunder shot just 33 percent from deep—13th of 16 playoff teams—but they won it all with the league MVP, a stifling defense, forcing turnovers, and playing with pace and physicality. The Mavericks plan to mirror that formula while controlling the offensive glass and pushing tempo, all to create more possessions.
The most efficient offense still begins at the free-throw line, and the best way to get there is by attacking the rim off the pass, and not just with head-down drives. Hence, expect to see more cutting with passes from the bigs initiating offense up top, dragging the opponent’s rim protector away from the basket.
On off nights from deep, Dallas can compensate with motion, pace, rim pressure, and free throws. The goal is simple: run at every opportunity—off makes, misses, turnovers, even made free throws—and cross halfcourt before the shot clock hits 21. Last year, league-wide shooting in the first six seconds of the clock was 54 percent; in the final 18 seconds, it dropped to 45. Points per 100 possessions were 124.6 in transition versus 98 in the halfcourt. The math again tells the story: run and shoot a three or attack early.
In the preseason game against Utah, with D’Angelo Russell not playing, Kidd rolled out a massive lineup: Thompson, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II. He used the same group against the Lakers two nights later, which gives every indication this will be the opening-night five. This unit is long, physical, and built to produce a top-five defense. As the league trends bigger—many teams now play with multiple bigs—the Mavericks want to match that size without sacrificing speed. Kidd believes the defining traits are size, versatility, and depth, and this roster was constructed precisely to generate that balance.
Of course, the biggest addition is Flagg. Offensively, Kidd wants to develop him the same way he did Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee—by putting the ball in his hands early and often. Flagg will share playmaking duties from the start. There aren’t two timelines; Kidd has made that much clear. The goal is to win now while also developing Flagg at his own pace. The Mavs don’t want to rush the sunrise, and Kidd is intent on letting Flagg “be himself.”
So what exactly does that mean? Brian Scalabrine, who helped shape Flagg’s early development, told me his cheat code is his brain: “Teach him something once, and he will come in the next day and have it down.” For that reason, Scalabrine believes Flagg may ultimately project as a point guard. Following last week’s preseason finale, Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Flagg’s defensive instincts, playmaking, and work ethic, dismissing premature comparisons to Grant Hill.
Flagg already makes the right plays on both ends, and his trial by fire will come sooner than expected with Kyrie Irving sidelined. On that subject, while Kidd says Irving is “doing quite well,” the bottom line is Irving will return when he is ready and not a day sooner. For the time being, he has been actively cheering on his teammates during camp, and his voice is resonating. He is attacking his rehab as we would expect he would.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks open with five straight home games for the first time in franchise history. In a loaded Western Conference, a strong start is paramount. Thompson continues to set the tone, the championship highlight reel looping in the background as a daily reminder of what teamwork and sacrifice can produce. Another journey begins tonight—one he and the Mavericks hope will someday play on a highlight reel of their own.
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Brian Dameris
Brian Dameris
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Brian Dameris writes about the Mavericks for StrongSide. He is the former Director of Basketball Development for the Dallas Mavericks and is currently a studio analyst for Mavs TV broadcasts on Bally Sports Southwest. For the past seven years he has been co-host of the The Ticket’s Mavs Postgame Show and can also be heard weekly on his Mavs podcast “Take Dat Wit You” with Mark Followill.