Mavericks fixed one 3-point problem but exposed another in preseason opener

The Dallas Mavericks got their first taste of basketball action this preseason during their 135-117 loss to the Houston Rockets today. Overall, the offense was sluggish and struggled to create much in the first half. Of Dallas' issues in their first game, though, the volume of 3-point attempts was surprisingly not one of them. The shooting percentage of those threes was a different story, however.

The Mavericks are finally shooting more threes

One of the biggest concerns for the 2026-27 season was how the Mavericks would address their abysmal 3-point shooting from a season ago. Last year, Dallas ranked in the bottom five in 3-point attempts per game, 3-pointers made per game, and 3-point percentage.

The first step in addressing that issue was bringing in a coach who could change the system. May's emphasis on moving the ball and creating open looks for shooters is exactly what they need.

With a renewed emphasis on ball movement and the green light to take more shots from deep, Dallas' preseason opener should be just a taste of what's to come. This is exactly what Mavs fans want to see: a new, exciting brand of basketball as they enter a new era under a new coach with a new rising superstar, Cooper Flagg, at the helm.

More attempts didn't fix Dallas' problem from deep

While Flagg was the brightest star for the Mavericks offensively, scoring 19 points in 19 minutes, he struggled from beyond the arc, going 1-for-5.

Flagg wasn't the only one; Naji Marshall also went 1-for-5, while Seth Lundy shot exclusively from three, going 1-for-4. Four players shot three threes, each making just one, while Max Christie was the highest-volume 3-point shooter, making a team-high four 3-pointers on 11 attempts.

There's no other way to put it than to say the Mavericks got outplayed from deep. They went just 12-of-41 in the first three quarters and only slightly improved their shooting towards the end of the game. The unfortunate truth is that Dallas did raise their output, shooting 51 times from three, but made just 18 of these shots, the same amount as the Rockets, who shot 15 fewer threes.

De Larrea and Gafford shine as unexpected bright spots from three

Mavericks rookie Sergio De Larrea was a particular bright spot from three, as he went 3-of-3 on his shots from beyond the arc. There was some concern earlier this offseason about De Larrea's shooting, as he shot just 4-for-20 from three in four Summer League games. However, he did show signs of improvement in August while playing for Spain, shooting 3-for-3 from three in 11 minutes off the bench against Greece.

De Larrea's role during the regular season, with Kyrie Irving back in the lineup, will be interesting to watch. If he can maintain this level of 3-point shooting while developing his other skills, he'll certainly have a place on this team, as De Larrea is already one of the roster's best facilitators.

Sunday's rematch against the Rockets will be the first glimpse of Irving back in a Mavericks uniform since he tore his ACL in March of 2025 and should be a good opportunity to see De Larrea's role in the typical system.

And in case you missed it, Daniel Gafford shot a 3-pointer today and made it. In his entire career so far, Gafford had attempted just one 3-point shot while playing for the Washington Wizards in 2022 and missed. Gafford played well in just over eight minutes of action, and now that fans know he can hit a three, they'll be hoping he throws up a heat check or two later once the season begins.

Flagg's outlook on Mavericks' 3-point shooting

After the game, Flagg talked about the new-look offense and the uptick in three-point shooting.

"Obviously, we have a different identity and a different culture, and we’re trying to play faster and sharing the ball more," Flagg said. "So, I think naturally, we’re going to fall into some more threes and some easier ones, too."

Flagg continued to speak on the three-point shooting, saying, “I think we also just have a lot of 3-point shooters — guys that are comfortable stepping in and knocking shots down.”

Thirteen of the 14 Mavericks players who played today shot a three, while 11 of those 13 made at least one.

Dusty May's new offensive approach is working to turn around a team that struggled to get 3-point shots up, but it will take some time for the Mavs to settle into that new identity and start knocking down the threes they're taking. As the famous basketball adage goes, "live by the three, die by the three," and right now, the Mavericks are still trying to get past that first step.

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