Marcus Sasser can't be the Mavericks' only reliable option behind Kyrie Irving

Marcus Sasser's debut was one of the only positive takeaways from the Dallas Mavericks' first game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. He finished with 17 points while shooting 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from downtown, showing off his ability to score off the catch and off the dribble.

Three of his four triples were off the catch, with both of his buckets inside the arc being floaters off the bounce. Sasser is the only player on the team who consistently creates his shot outside of Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, and this could be a major problem.

The Mavericks still need more help in the backcourt

There's plenty to be excited about after Sasser's debut, but they can't expect him to be the only answer in the backcourt behind Kyrie. Dusty May played Sergio De Larrea for seven minutes against Houston, and Naji Marshall handled some of the backup point guard duties as well, but the Mavs can't bet on only Sasser, Marshall, and De Larrea's potential to hold them over in the minutes that Irving is on the bench. This doesn't even include the games that Irving sits.

Flagg is obviously going to operate as a lead initiator at times too, but Dallas needs someone who can generate paint touches, knock down shots off the dribble, and score in isolation when needed. Sasser looks like he could be in store for a breakout season for the Mavericks after playing just 12.0 minutes per game for the Detroit Pistons last season, but the team could be forced to make a trade to get Kyrie and Sasser some help.

Long before the season started, many Mavericks fans were concerned about the team's lack of depth behind Irving. De Larrea has been a fan favorite since Summer League, and Sasser had clear bounce-back potential after being underutilized in Detroit, but they didn't invest in any new surefire options to help carry the load when Irving is on the bench or out of the lineup.

Naji Marshall can't solve Dallas' problem in the backcourt

Marshall's three-year extension that he signed over the offseason reflected clear trust from the team that he could operate as the backup point guard, but his poor shooting combined with limited self-creation outside of his dribble-drive and float game makes his long-term fit in Dallas shaky.

His jump shot could make or break how effective he is for the Mavericks moving forward after he shot below 30 percent from three in each of his first two seasons in Dallas, and the team may be forced to make some moves sooner rather than later if they want to become a playoff contender.

Dallas needs another reliable creator behind Irving and Sasser

MFFLs have every right to be excited about Sasser's opening-night performance off the bench, but the creation from the backcourt outside of Irving and Sasser has to get better if Dallas hopes to take a major step in the right direction after losing 56 games last season. One game doesn't tell the entire story of how the season will go, but balancing the roster and getting Irving more support in the backcourt will be for the best.

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