3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks' first home loss of season against Raptors

In a back and forth game between the Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, the Mavs would take their first home loss of the season Friday night, losing to the Raptors by a score of 127-116.

Mavs fans have been complaining about cold starts to games and having to rely on the second half to get back in the game, but it was quite the opposite in the loss last night. The star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving had taken over the game in the first quarter, as it would be in the second half where the team began to struggle.

The Mavericks shot 19/31 from the free-throw line and also allowed 15 offensive rebounds throughout the game. Dereck Lively II and the role that he brings to this team is clearly more important than what some people think.

3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks' first home loss of season against Raptors

After the Mavericks loss, they still remain the second seed in the Western Conference with a record of 6-2.

Here are your three studs and two duds from the home loss.

Honorable Mention: Dante Exum

In just eight minutes of play, Dante Exum had a very solid game for the Mavericks. Exum scored five points and grabbed five rebounds while closing out the game.

Jason Kidd made the decision to have Exum close out the game over Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green, which could become a very controversial decision.

Exum executed on both sides of the floor in a short time of play and also showed signs of chemistry late in the fourth quarter with Doncic.

Expect Exum to make his way back into the rotation Friday night as the Mavs will face the LA Clippers.

5. Stud - Tim Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had another great night for himself, as he put up 17 points and shot 5-9 from behind the arc. Hardaway Jr. also managed to draw three charges against the Raptors as well.

In just eight games this season, Hardaway Jr. has been making clutch plays down the stretch of games which has allowed Jason Kidd to trust him in late game situations. That surprisingly took a turn tonight as Kidd chose to allow Exum to close the game out. One could assume Kidd chose to take the Exum route due to the fact Hardaway Jr. had a plus-minus of minus 19.

Hardaway Jr. has solidified himself as the third best scoring option on this team, as he has proven to be very consistent with his shots.

The Mavericks have struggled with bench depth in the past, but Hardaway Jr. has changed that narrative as he’s clearly a front runner for NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

4. Dud - Maxi Kleber

With Dereck Lively II dealing with a non-covid illness in last night’s loss, the Mavericks needed Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber to step up.

This would be Kleber’s first return back to the court after missing three games due to a brutal toe injury suffered against the Chicago Bulls.

In his 15 minutes on the floor, Kleber struggled to find any rhythm in the game. Kleber would finish the game with four points, four assists, and two rebounds while shooting 4-8 from the free-throw line.

Kleber, someone who used to be an elite defender in the NBA, struggled to find his usual flow in the game which forced Jason Kidd to run a small ball lineup that could hustle more. With Kleber and his poor performance, it allowed Mavs fans to get a look at Richaun Holmes to see what he was capable of.

Nico Harrison and the Mavs front office have become a very active team when it comes to making moves before the trade deadline. If Kleber cannot up his play, expect for there to be a chance he doesn’t stay in a Mavs jersey for long.

With an elite offense the Mavs will face this upcoming Friday night, expect Kleber to be a big piece for this team defensively.

3. Stud - Derrick Jones Jr.

After another masterclass from Derrick Jones Jr. on both sides of the floor it has become obvious that he deserves to be the starting small forward for the Dallas Mavericks.

Jones Jr. had 15 points, five rebounds, and three blocks while leading the team in the plus-minus column with a plus 11.

In his 29 minutes of play, Jones Jr. shot an efficient 6-8 from the field, including 3-5 from the 3-point line.

The main worry going into this season for the lengthy wing was if he could play on both sides of the floor while making an impact for the Mavs. Jones Jr. has clearly proven he belongs in Dallas and will be a key piece in the future for the team.

With the poor play from Josh Green lately, expect Jones Jr. to have an increased role in the second half of games.

The Mavericks' goal with former guard Reggie Bullock was to be able to have him guard the best perimeter players on the opposing team and still be able to be a knockdown shooter. Although that experiment failed, it’s clear Jones Jr. is on the path to making that experiment a successful one.

2. Dud - Josh Green

Coming into the season, everyone had high hopes for this to be Josh Green’s leap year. Through eight games of pure inconsistency, bringing timid play to the floor and not producing, it has made Mavs fans start to question whether or not Green can be an impactful player for this team.

In the last three games, Green has scored in single digits while making minimal impact on the offensive side of the floor.

In a season-low of 18 minutes on the court tonight, Green had three points, two assists, and one block in the loss.

With the Mavericks having solid productivity from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr., it will be crucial for Green to have a good performance against the Clippers on Friday night.

Defensively, Green has been all anyone could ask for when it comes to hustle and grit. Being able to guard some of the top wings in the NBA isn’t an easy task, but after signing a contract extension with the Mavs just a few weeks ago, Green will need to step up his entire game.

Josh Green seems to fit well in a fast-paced basketball system, so hopefully, Jason Kidd can realize that and allow him to share the court with Hardy and Irving more often.

1. Stud - Kyrie Irving

Before last night’s matchup, one of the biggest thoughts for fans was if Kyrie Irving could still score the ball at an efficient level.

In his 36 minutes of playing time, Irving was all over the court while putting up 22 points, five assists, and four rebounds, including shooting 3-7 from three.

Irving is continuously showing more aggressiveness in the first and fourth quarters, rather than having Luka Doncic take on the workload by himself. Between the duo, there have been signs in the last few games that the chemistry is developing at a fast pace, which should worry fans all around the league.

Irving has taken on the role of not just being a top scorer for this team, but also being a facilitator and leader. The former Blue Devil is currently averaging 7.8 assists per game, which is a career-high.

A key problem with the Mavericks last season was how slow-paced they were. Irving and Doncic have both tried implementing a faster-paced playstyle, which has clearly been beneficial for the team.

Expect a big performance from Kyrie Irving on Friday night as he will be taking on his former teammate, James Harden and the LA Clippers.

For all the latest news on Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks, stay tuned.