3 takeaways from Dallas Mavericks season opening loss to Suns

Takeaway from Dallas Mavericks loss to Suns: 2. Bench advantage

The Mavs were up eight points at the end of the first quarter with Luka Doncic on the floor for all 12 minutes. By the time he returned, Dallas was up 17. Spencer Dinwiddie exited midway through the first quarter, so he could come back and lead the second unit. The 6’5 guard was flanked by Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Josh Green, and Christian Wood as the Mavericks went on a run.

Dallas is a deeper and more dangerous team this season, and the bench proved it on opening night against the team that had the best regular season record in the league last year. Christian Wood gives the Mavs an offensive dimension they lacked last season. Having a big man that can handle the ball and create shots for himself, while spacing the floor could be massive for the Mavericks.

The Suns made a run in the third quarter to cut the Mavs lead to five, but Dallas took over again to open the fourth. This time, Dorian Finney-Smith replaced Kleber as Christian Wood got hot to push the advantage back to ten by the time Doncic was ready to return with 6:41 left in the fourth.

The additions of Wood and JaVale McGee improved the Dallas Mavericks' depth. Having Tim Hardaway Jr. and an improved Josh Green gives Dallas one of the deepest nine-man rotations in the league, and they dominated the battle of the second units in the season opener in Phoenix.