Player Ratings: Mavericks vs. Warriors Summary

The Dallas Mavericks took on the Golden State Warriors trying to reach a game over .500 this season. This game had several subplots, including how well the Mavs could defend the three against one of the best shooters in league history, as well as the return of Dereck Lively.

The biggest story, of course, was Klay Thompson returning home to the Bay Area for the first time since becoming a Maverick. The Mavs broke their habit of starting slow, but a terribly sluggish start to the second half led them to outscore 20-3 before waking up a bit. Despite taking the lead late in the fourth quarter, costly turnovers and poor defense resulted in another extremely disappointing loss in a very winnable game. Let’s get to the notes!

Luka Doncic: B

31 points / 8 rebounds / 6 assists / 3 steals / 0 blocks

Luka had some frustrating moments (poor shot selection at the end of the half, a few rebounds where he could have put in more effort), but he almost single-handedly kept the Mavs in the game until Kyrie and Klay broke through in the fourth quarter. However, five turnovers and poor shot selection at the end of the half and at the end of the game cast a shadow over the positive aspects.

Kyrie Irving: A

21 points / 3 rebounds / 6 assists / 0 steals / 0 blocks

Kyrie seemed completely locked in and under control at the start of the season, and that didn’t change tonight. He was 8 of 13, but did a lot more than the box score doesn’t show. His control, pace and execution were on full display. He took fewer than half the shots Luka did, and that’s perhaps the biggest sign of his play tonight.

Klay Thompson: A

22 points / 4 rebounds / 3 assists / 0 steals / 0 blocks

Thompson had one of those strange incidents where his overall shooting was worse than his three-point shooting (6 of 12). Nonetheless, he did everything you would expect of him, dropping 22 points in his home game and going 6 of 12 from beyond the arc.

Naji Marshall: B-

6 points / 3 rebounds / 2 assists / 1 steal / 0 blocks

Marshall’s numbers refute something he said in court. He didn’t shoot well, but he was extremely active and showed high motor skills the entire time he disrupted the defense. Although it didn’t result in big box score numbers, he was in the right place at the right time and put the guys out of their seats.

Daniel Gafford: A

15 points / 6 rebounds / 2 assists / 0 steals / 0 blocks

Once again, Gafford had a lovely evening. 15 points and six boards in under 24 minutes were great, but it should be noted that his 7-for-8 shooting wasn’t all lob dunks. Gafford doesn’t get enough credit for the short game he developed with small hooks, push shots and even quick dribbles around the rim for layups. The only thing that stopped me from adding a “+” was that he didn’t have a blockage that night.

Dereck Lively: A

12 points / 8 rebounds / 2 assists / 0 steals / 1 block

We keep it simple. Lively played through his injury like he never took a break and showed why he is so important to this team. He had good scoring and rebounding records, but more importantly, he had a defensive presence that was sorely lacking when he was sidelined with injury.

Quentin Grimes: A-

6 points / 6 rebounds / 1 assist / 1 steal / 0 blocks

Grimes gets a slightly higher grade because he hit a great three-pointer in the final moments that at least gave the Mavs a chance. It was a smart move and brave execution for a man who only attempted three more shots that night. His stats seemed to be in line with our expectations, but an oddity kept cropping up during this game. His hands just seemed a little out of balance – on several occasions he caused a pass or even a rebound to falter slightly. It almost looked like he was just a little out of shape. He was very comfortable in this game, and except for one or two times where he paid to go under a screen, he played good perimeter defense. If he can build on this game, good things will come.