3 Duds, 2 studs from Mavericks' sloppy first loss against Suns

In a disappointing season road opener game Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson suffered their first loss Saturday when they fell to Phoenix Suns by a score of 114-102.

The team struggled to match the Suns' intensity from the very beginning. Dallas was down eight points at halftime, as they could not stop Phoenix from knocking down their 3-pointers. This was one of the main differences. The Mavs shot 31.7 percent from downtown.

Dallas now sits at 1-1, with their first loss coming against their rival.

3 Duds, 2 studs from Mavericks' sloppy first loss against Suns

The team will have a chance to bounce back on Monday when they face the Utah Jazz at home.

Jason Kidd will have plenty to go over with his team before this game, and there are several things that Dallas must sort out before this game.

5. Dud - P.J. Washington

P.J. Washington shot 42.1 percent overall last season and 31.4 percent from the 3-point line. His numbers were expected to improve this season, as he had been working on improving his jump shot. That however has not been the case. Washington is shooting 36.4 percent overall this season and 28.6 percent from downtown.

His shooting slump was present against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. Washington shot 20 percent from the field and made just one of his five 3-point attempts. This is a dip from Thursday when he shot 36 percent overall.

Washington had several open 3-point attempts but struggled to convert. If you recall, he struggled shooting the ball when he first arrived in Dallas last season. The Mavs' forward eventually found his groove and improved his shot.

On the defensive side, Washington did a good job fighting for shots down low. He isn't afraid to fight for loose balls. He struggled though to contain Kevin Durant, as the Suns' all-star scored 30 points. Washington was late to get his hands up, allowing Durant to knock down open jumpers.

Once Washington gets going, it will make things a lot easier for Dallas on both sides of the ball. If he can feed off the trio of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson this could make the Mavs' offense unstoppable.

4. Stud - Klay Thompson

One player who has found joy in playing this season is Klay Thompson. The Dallas Mavericks' sharpshooter has no problem adjusting to the city, as he continues to find his rhythm.

The newest Mav has been a great asset to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. In his first game with the team, Thompson dropped 22 points. He also shot 60 percent from the 3-point attempts.

He put up similar numbers against the Phoenix Suns when he had 19 points on 43.8 percent shooting. Thompson converted 41.7 percent of his attempted 3-pointers. The former Warrior isn't afraid to let it rip. He makes life easier for Luka Doncic, whenever he remains open at the top of the key.

Thompson also does a great job converting his shots near the free-throw line from the mid-range. His demonstrated ability to space the floor stood out on Saturday. He wasn't afraid to move around at times and could create his own shot too off the dribble.

Saturday was also the second game in a row a team left Thompson wide open, as he could dribble the ball and then shoot because he had so much space. While he missed the shot, this just shows teams are going to pay for continuing to leave Klay open. All that is left, is for him to make his open attempts.

3. Dud - Maxi Kleber

One player how has been struggling since last season is Maxi Kleber. The Mavs' big man has yet to find success this season. Kleber shot the ball twice Saturday, but missed his only 3-point attempt.

Kleber has yet to replicate his shooting numbers from last year's first-round matchup from the playoffs. Against the LA Clippers, he made 52.4 percent of his shots and went 55.6 percent from downtown. It was his Game 5 performance that helped the Mavs take a 3-2 lead.

Since then, his offensive production has taken a hit. On Saturday, he recored two points and two assists in 16 minutes.

The German forward also struggled to contain Phoenix Suns' big man Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns' center had no problem scoring down low. Nurkic could body around Kleber and use his tall frame to score over him. This caused Kleber to commit unnecessary fouls as he couldn't fight down low.

Kleber did a great job setting screens for Luka Doncic, as he provided opportunities for him to score.

However, Kleber left Saturday's game early in the second half with an unknown hamstring injury. This could put a damper on his ability to return to his old self.

The Mavs can only old Kleber returns soon.

2. Stud - Luka Doncic

One player who has had no problem replicating his success from last season is Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks' all-star elevated his performance from Thursday. He was the only Mav to score above 30 points.

The Mavs' guard poured in a double-double with 40 points and 10 rebounds on 48 percent shooting. At halftime, Doncic had 23 points and five rebounds. He did a great job finding scoring opportunities from all over the field. He could knock down step-back 3-pointers or attack the basket to create free-throw opportunities.

Saturday's performance was a step up from Thursday. Doncic seemed rusty as he hadn't played all preseason. He scored 28 points while shooting 36 percent from the field.

Doncic also did a great setting up his teammates. He could drive to the lane and dish out the ball to create various opportunities. He had two options, either dish the ball down low to one of his bigs or find Klay Thompson on the perimeter for a 3-point attempt.

Last season, Luka averaged a league-high 33.9 points per game. This season, he is averaging 34 points per game.

His success will be detrimental to Dallas bouncing back on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz.

1. Dud - Mavericks Bench

One major difference between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns on Saturday was their bench production. The Suns' bench combined to score 23 points, as Monte Morris and Royce O'Neale combined for 15 points.

Dallas on the other hand struggled to demonstrate that same intensity. The team combined for just nine points off the bench. Dereck Lively II was the team's leader off the bench with five points. The Mavs' big also had 11 rebounds.

Everyone else on the failed to provide support for Dallas. Jaden Hardy missed all four of his field goal attempts and went 0-3 from the 3-point line. Quentin Grimes too struggled, as he failed to attempt a shot.

Naji Marshall too was no help converting just one of his five shooting attempts.

This was a different story from Thursday when Hardy and Lively II combined for 26 points. Hardy had shot 60 percent from long range, a different story from Saturday.

The Mavs' bench and role players must provide support for Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson if they hope to bounce back. The Dallas trio did their part in combining for 81 points.

Dallas plays four of their next five games at home, as they look to get back in the winning column. This will give them a great chance to build momentum and chemistry, as some of the new faces are struggling to make an impact over the first two games.

For the latest news and updates on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.