Mavericks shouldn't ignore what their preseason opener exposed defensively

In the Dallas Mavericks' preseason opener, the Houston Rockets uncorked 135 points against a supposedly good (on paper) Mavericks defense. The Rockets knocked down 54.6 percent of their field goals and 50.0 percent of their 3-pointers. Houston dropped an NBA preseason high for points in a game despite turning it over 21 times. It's just the preseason, yes, but allowing that many points to an average offense that coughed up the ball so often is cause for concern.

Mavericks' defense has reason for optimism entering the preseason

The Mavericks' defense wasn't good a season ago; don't get it twisted, but they weren't a bottom-feeding defensive unit, either. Dallas ranked 19th in defensive rating and 23rd in opponents' points per game, while also ranking in the top 10 in blocks.

So, there was obvious room for improvement, and a better defensive unit seemed highly plausible. Dallas is an up-and-coming squad, and Cooper Flagg and Co. are still developing. Moreover, Dallas was far from a complete squad a year ago, battling through various injuries. Now, with almost everyone healthy and, perhaps more importantly, an infusion of length and size in the offseason, Dallas' defense should be better.

Alas, that's not what transpired in the preseason opener.

The game just looked easy for the Rockets. Dallas didn't force the issue. Houston got to the spots it wanted without much pressure or denial. Three things stood out: Dallas didn't apply much ball pressure, failed to close out on shooters, and struggled to cut off driving lanes, leading to easy baskets in and around the paint.

Mavericks' lack of ball pressure is a problem they can't hide

For starters, the Mavericks' lack of ball pressure wasn't necessarily unforeseen, but it's certainly an issue that's been swept under the rug.

Sure, the Mavericks can make up for this with their long, rangy lineup, featuring multiple players with plus-frames across the board. A long, rangy team can force turnovers, as Houston's 21 giveaways show, but they still need to pressure the ball. Once teams round into form, it'll take more than long arms to force turnovers and deflections. And the Mavericks don't really have an answer to this. Dallas is without any true on-ball pests.

And being without players who pressure the ball creates a conundrum of other issues.

Failing to close out goes hand in hand with a lack of pressure. Houston cashed in on 18 3-pointers against the Mavs, and no, not all of them were wide-open. But leaving any amount of space in the NBA is essentially leaving a player open, and Dallas did way too much of that. Several times, Rockets players had enough time to face up, gather themselves, and let a 3-pointer rip without deterrence whatsoever. Sticking a hand up just isn't enough.

One defensive weakness is creating problems everywhere

And again, the lack of pressure led to easy driving opportunities. Time and time again, the Rockets got to their spots in the paint without having to work for it. And when Houston meandered deep in the paint, there wasn't a natural deterrent awaiting them. Dallas recorded only two blocks, making the absence of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford's limited eight minutes far more significant than expected.

It's the preseason, yes. Practically anything at this point can prompt a knee-jerk reaction. But a lack of ball pressure plagued Dallas a season ago, and that doesn't appear to have changed. There's a lot to like about the Mavericks' potential defense on paper. However, if their ball pressure doesn't improve, it'll lead to various issues, as evidenced by Dallas' 135-117 loss to the Rockets.

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