Klay Thompson holds the thin rope to pull Mavericks out of treacherous hole

The Dallas Mavericks officially finished preseason play and are set to begin the 2025-26 season next week. The team heads into the new NBA season with high expectations, as Dallas was gifted Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick. Pair Flagg with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and the Mavs are legitimate contenders in the Western Conference. This is assuming Irving makes a healthy return.

However, if the Mavs are going to live up to expectations and be a legitimate threat in the NBA, it'll be up to their 3-point shooting. Last season, Dallas ranked in the middle of the pack when it came to 3-point shooting. They had the 16th-best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA, making 36.4 percent of their attempts.

One player who will be critical for the Mavs' 3-point success is Klay Thompson. The former "Splash Brother" is one of the top 3-point shooters in NBA history. He has a 41.1 percent 3-point percentage for his career. He'll need to continue being one of the top shooters in the league this season for Dallas to remain competitive. Simply put, he can't take a step backward and must continue shooting lights out for the Mavs to have a chance in a loaded Western Conference.

Klay Thompson's 3-point shooting will make or break the Mavs' season

Last season, the Mavericks had the second-highest 3-point attempts in the league. However, there were certain games the Mavs lost because they were outshot. For example, in their third-to-last game, Dallas fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 112-97. The Lakers finished the game with 36 attempted 3-pointers, while the Mavericks attempted 26 shots. This is a trend that is becoming problematic during the preseason.

In three of the Mavs' preseason games, Dallas was outshot in 3-point attempts. For instance, in the team's first preseason game, the Oklahoma City Thunder took 16 more 3-point attempts than the Mavericks.

Not much changed in the second game, as the Mavs attempted 12 fewer 3-point attempts than the Charlotte Hornets. Dallas once again was outshot on Wednesday night. So, the data is simple: opposing teams are shooting more 3-pointers than the Mavericks. This could become problematic, as this means Dallas isn't shooting as many 3-pointers as needed.

So, this is where Thompson comes into play. The Mavs' shooting guard will need to up his production this coming season. Last season, Thompson attempted 553 3-pointers. The year prior, he attempted 692 3-point shots, and before that, he shot 731 long-range attempts. Thompson's 3-point attempts are decreasing at a steady rate, and this is something the Mavs can't afford.

In the Mavs' most recent preseason game, Thompson attempted six 3-pointers in 18 minutes. Dallas will need him to increase his attempts if it hopes to keep up with the pace of other teams. The year after Golden State won the NBA championship, Thompson attempted 731 3-point shots. So, Thompson must revert to his old ways.

Remember, Flagg is only a rookie and will need all the help he can get. So, if Thompson can take the burden off the rookie and attempt more 3-pointers, then this would make life easier for everyone.

The Dallas Mavericks' offense is already a highlight reel of its own. Once Thompson gets going, this would add an extra spark to the team. It'll be up to coach Jason Kidd to let Thompson run free and shoot. The NBA has evolved into a 3-point game, and it'll be up to Dallas to keep up. This all starts with Thompson.