Mavericks' needed change in starting lineup is obvious after just one game

After 115 days, the Dallas Mavericks have finally started their 2024-25 regular season campaign with an impressive 120-109 victory over their in-state rival, San Antonio Spurs.

After a questionable first half that saw the Mavericks enter the locker room down by two points, the Mavericks made much-needed adjustments that led to an impressive second-half performance by just about every Mavs player.

One player who made his Mavericks debut with an impressive 6-10 showing from behind the arc was four-time champion, Klay Thompson.

Thompson's ability to spread the floor and knock down shots was noticed early in the game when he and Luka Doncic connected on multiple plays early in the game. Thompson's fit alongside Doncic was seamless and will only get better as the season goes along.

Lively II makes strong case to become starting center right away

With the season just tipping off, there have already been multiple head-scratching moments for fans, including Jason Kidd's starting lineup choice in this game.

Fans long expected Dereck Lively II to be the Mavericks' starting center to begin the season, but in a surprising last-second move, Kidd started Daniel Gafford to begin the game.

By no means is Gafford worse than Lively II, but after an impressive rookie campaign that was followed by an even more impressive offseason, Lively II has emerged as the clear No. 1 option at the five spot.

While both players started slow against San Antonio, Lively II began to catch heat throughout the third quarter. Lively II's biggest impact came on the offensive end of the floor as he created multiple second-chance opportunities for Dallas, which resulted in critical points that swung the game in the Mavericks' favor.

Lively II's biggest factor was his offensive rebounding abilities, but fans got to witness the 7-footer's playmaking skills as the second-year pro had six dimes on the night. On multiple occasions, Lively II found cutters for wide-open dunks or made the necessary kick-out passes for open threes.

When the Mavericks drafted Lively II, they understood the former Blue Devil could develop into a solid passer out of the short roll. Lively II not only proved this in his rookie season, but he took a clear step forward this offseason in his playmaking and ability to knife balls in tight pockets.

Gafford will always be a solid center when playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Doncic, but he lacks the offensive repertoire that Lively II can bring on any night.

In addition to Lively II's impressive sophomore debut, he played great defense on one of the league's rising stars, Victor Wembanyama. Lively II constantly made it difficult for Wembanyama to establish a true identity in the paint and made it hard for the French phenom to get comfortable on the offensive end.

While Wembanyama got it going from the mid-range and the perimeter later in the game, Lively II did a phenomenal job keeping the 20-year-old under wraps for most of the game.

After a strong performance, Lively II should be heavily considered by Kidd to start for the Mavericks' second game against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.