Player Ratings: Recapping Mavericks Vs. Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks accepted the court Golden State Warriorslooking to move one game over .500 on the season. This game had various sub-plots, 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’s return to the Bay Area for the first time since becoming a Maverick. The Mavs broke their habit of starting slowly, but a terribly slow start to the second half had them outscored 20-3 before waking up a bit. Despite holding a lead in the late minutes of the fourth, costly turnovers and poor defense resulted in another massively disappointing loss in a very winnable game. Let’s get to the characters!

Luka Doncic: B

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

Luka had some frustrating moments (poor shot selection to end the half, a couple of rebounds he could have done better on) but almost single-handedly kept the Mavs in the game until Kyrie and Klay kicked it in during the fourth quarter . Still, five turnovers and poor shot selection at the end of the half and at the end of the game cast a shadow over the positives.

Kyrie Irving: A

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

Kyrie looks totally locked in and completely in control at the start of the season, and tonight did nothing to change that. He was 8-for-13, but did so much more that won’t be seen in the box office. His control, pace and execution were on full display. He took fewer than half the shots Luka took, and that may be the biggest mark on his game tonight.

Klay Thompson: A

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

Thompson had one of those odd occurrences where his overall shooting was worse than his three-point shooting (6-for-12). Nevertheless, he did everything you’d expect him to do, dropping 22 points and going 6-for-12 from the line in his homecoming.

Naji Marshall: B-

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

Marshall’s numbers somewhat contradict what he brought to court. He didn’t shoot well, but was super active and showed a high motor throughout as he ran interference on the defensive end. Even though it didn’t result in big box score numbers, he was in the right places at the right time, running guys off their seats.

Daniel Gafford: A

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

Once again, Gafford had a good night. 15 points and six boards in less than 24 minutes was great, but it should be noted that his 7-for-8 shooting wasn’t just lob dunks. Gafford doesn’t get enough credit for the short game he’s developed with little hooks, push shots and even quick dribbles around the rim for layups. The only thing that prevented me from adding a “+” was that he did not have a block in the evening.

Derek Lively: A

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

We keep it simple. Lively came off an injury like he didn’t miss a beat and showed why he is so vitally important to this team. He had great scoring and rebounding, but more importantly he added a defensive presence that was sorely missed when he was out injured.

Quentin Grimes: A-

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

Grimes gets a little inflated grade for hitting a huge three in the closing moments that at least gave the Mavs a chance. It was a smooth move and a gutsy execution for a guy who only attempted three other shots on the night. His stat line seemed to be what we all expected, but an oddity repeated itself during this game. His hands just seemed a little shaky – on several occasions he slightly tipped a pass or even a rebound. It almost looked like he was just a little out of shape. He got a lot of burn in this one, and aside from a time or two where he paid to go under a screen, he played nice perimeter defense. If he can build on this game, good things will come.