Thompson’s effect was more than imagined.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 120-109 in the 2024-2025 NBA regular season at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Friday night.
It may have seemed like an easy win, but it wasn’t. Dallas struggled against San Antonio’s strong defense and finished the first half trailing 47-49. On offense, Dallas struggled to find its groove. Even the one-two punch of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic struggled against San Antonio’s 토토사이트 모음 defense.

One player who stepped up to the plate was transfer Klay Thompson. Thompson is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. Sure, he had a disappointing 2023-2024 season with the Golden State Warriors, with a drop-off from his prime, but he”s still one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.
His strengths are his three-point range and his off-the-ball moves to find open space. Against San Antonio, Thompson’s strengths were on full display.
He hit a long three-pointer in a concise manner. He didn’t hold onto the ball for long, and as soon as he got it, he went straight to the basket and crashed the rim with ease. He hit three three-pointers in the third quarter alone to give Dallas the lead, and he continued his hot streak in the fourth quarter to seal the win for Dallas.
Thompson was particularly effective with Doncic on this night. Doncic’s main offensive routes are in pick-and-rolls with big men and one-on-ones utilizing his individual skills. Doncic is virtually unstoppable, so he is often double-teamed. Doncic’s great vision allowed him to get a pass to Thompson whenever he was double-teamed.
With 10:30 left in the fourth quarter, on a Dallas fast break, Doncic found Thompson in the no-mark. He set him up for a 3-pointer, and Doncic didn’t even look to see if he was going to make it, instead going back to defense. It shows how much Doncic trusts Thompson.
Although it was only the first game, it was clear why Dallas wanted Thompson so badly. Dallas’ biggest weakness last season, when they finished as runners-up, was the lack of a specialized three-point shooter. They had a potent one-two punch in Doncic and Irving, but no three-point shooter to capitalize on it. The lack of a three-point shooter proved fatal in the Finals against the Boston Celtics. If either Doncic or Irving were off, the team would be helplessly defeated.
Thompson solved Dallas’ problems perfectly in Game 1. It wasn’t just about shooting the ball well from three, but his presence opened up space for Doncic and Irving to exploit. Opposing defenses are forced to either contain Thompson’s three-point shooting or allow Doncic to get one-on-one looks.
Dallas put everything on the line to land Thompson this offseason. Head coach Jason Kidd and Doncic and Irving reportedly personally tried to convince Thompson to join Dallas. There was another team in the running for Thompson. The Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers, who felt the absence of a three-point shooter as much as Dallas, reportedly offered Thompson a four-year, $80 million deal.
However, Thompson chose Dallas, who offered him three years and $50 million, rather than four years and $80 million. Thompson cited championship potential, the presence of Doncic and Irving, and Dallas’ playoff run last season.
With Thompson, the Mavs will be able to rise to the top after finishing as runners-up last season.