Expectations soar for Mavs with addition of Klay Thompson after run to NBA Finals

Last season: 50-32, lost to Boston in NBA Finals.

COACH: Jason Kidd (fifth season with Mavericks, 10th season overall, 323-296).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 23 vs. San Antonio.

DEPARTURES: F Derrick Jones Jr., G Josh Green, G Tim Hardaway Jr.

ADDITIONS: G Klay Thompson, F Naji Marshall, G Spencer Dinwiddie, G Quentin Grimes.

BetMGM championship odds: 12-1.

The Mavericks addressed their biggest scoring need by adding Thompson in a sign-and-trade after their first trip to the NBA Finals since winning their only title in 2011. Dallas will expect nothing less than another deep playoff run with Thompson playing alongside fellow stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. It will be an adjustment for Thompson, though. He spent his first 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors and helped them win four championships. Thompson is coming off his lowest scoring average since his second season, and the five-time All-Star shot less than 40% from 3-point range for just the second time in his career.

The good: Playing with Doncic and Irving should mean a lot of great looks for Thompson, and the pick-and-roll could be dangerous if Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford stay healthy. Lively and Gafford showed in the playoffs they can be a potent tandem in the middle. Lively is among the most promising big men in the league after debuting as a 19-year-old and having a strong rookie year coming out of Duke. He did miss time with injuries, though.

The not-so-good: Dallas' most important defensive player last season was Jones, and the club hoped to bring him back. Instead, Jones signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Clippers, who lost to the Mavs in the first round of the playoffs. That will leave plenty to prove on defense for a team with the offensive star power of Doncic, Irving and Thompson. Grimes, acquired from Detroit for Hardaway, could play a role along with Marshall, a free agent pickup.

Plenty of eyes will be on Thompson in his first season without Splash Brother Stephen Curry, not to mention star forward Draymond Green. How Thompson, Doncic and Irving complement each other will be one of the bigger storylines in the NBA. The return Dinwiddie is intriguing. He played a big role in the Mavs' run to the 2022 Western Conference finals as an addition at the trade deadline. Now he's back after a season-plus away when Dinwiddie was shipped to Brooklyn in the blockbuster deal for Irving.

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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, right, drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, left, drives against Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, right, during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, bottom, falls in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

An injured Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, watches from the sidelines during a timeout in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

An injured Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, center, looks on from the sidelines as teammate Kyrie Irving, right, walks off during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) looks up from the court during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

BOSTON (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton didn't have to wait long to test his body during his season debut against the Boston Celtics.

Within two minutes of checking into his first game since having offseason offseason surgeries on both of his ankles, Middleton was bodychecked to the floor on a foul by Boston's Sam Hauser.

“I love it. Get it out of the way,” said Middleton who had 11 points, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes of the Bucks' 111-105 loss on Friday night. “That's something that's been happening to me in play groups, 1-on-1 sessions, workouts. Just feeling that contact. Of course the contact was a little bit more during the game, but I needed to feel that and feel like what it is to be hit, fall down on the floor and not really worry about anything.”

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said the three-time All-Star would be on a minutes restriction, but Middleton wound up finishing the game after an illness sidelined Taurean Prince in the second half. Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is dealing with right patella tendinopathy, also played on his 30th birthday.

Though he acknowledged being winded multiple times, Middleton said he came through well physically.

“Everybody wants to start and everybody wants to finish games,” Middleton said. “I didn't get to start tonight, but I definitely was happy I got to finish the game. Just wish I could have executed a little better. I thougth I missed one shot that I normally hit. ... It was a ball game the whole time up until maybe the last two or three possessions.”

Middleton missed the Bucks' first 21 games this season. The 33-year-old appeared in 55 games last season and just 33 in 2022-23 because of injuries. Also, a knee injury forced him to miss the Bucks’ final 10 playoff games in 2022.

It was just the ninth time that Rivers, who took over as the Bucks' coach for the final 36 games last season, had the All-Star trio of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Damian Lillard on the floor together. It was the 43rd time overall the trio shared the court.

“Every coach, you want your key guys, and the more games you have them the better,” Rivers said. “Every time we can get them on the floor in a practice. Every time we can get them on the floor in a game and it’s him, Giannis and Dame — it’s going to help our team grow. That’s where we’re behind with other teams who have had their key guys play together. It will come. It’s just going to take a minute.”

Rivers acknowledged it would be tough working Middleton back into the rotation. The Bucks opened the season 2-8, but entered Friday having won nine of 11 since a 113-107 loss at Boston on Nov. 10.

“It's not easy, obviously," Rivers said. “It's whatever amount of games into the season, but I still want him back. Whatever the minutes are, we're going to use them all up.”

Though the Bucks lost for the third time to Boston, Middleton said the game was something to build on.

“They’re a great team. We want to get back to where they were last year," Middleton said. "It’s just about putting our best foot forward and trying to be the best team. We’re not worried about anything else really.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton, center, sits next to guard Damian Lillard, left, during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)