3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' thrilling opening win over the Spurs

1. Stud - Klay Thompson

In a game where fans all across the NBA were tuned in, Klay Thompson didn't shy away from having a stellar performance.

In his regular season debut with the Mavericks, Thompson finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three steals and shot 6-10 from behind the arc.

Not only did Thompson dominate that stat sheet from an offensive standpoint, but he also was great on the defensive end.

A few weeks back, Thompson brought up the fact that he still wants to prove that he's an elite defender. It's clear that after his performance in the season opener, he'll be able to shut all the critics up.

Thompson made many winning plays defensively and was debatably one of the Mavericks' best defenders in the win.

The hot topic in the win though, was the immediate chemistry he had with Luka Doncic. On multiple occasions, it seemed like they instantly knew where each other was on the floor. There was no hesitation or second guesses from Doncic when he would attempt to get Thompson the ball.

While the season just started, it's quite obvious that Thompson was the missing piece in the Mavericks roster. With his ability to shoot the ball at a high volume, while also playing good defense, there's no doubt he'll be able to help this team reach their goals.

With having a scoring trio of Doncic, Irving, and Thompson all on the same team, the sky's the limit. If the Mavericks continue to play solid defense and have multiple players contribute on the offensive side as well, there could be a possible discussion as to them finishing as the first seed in the Western Conference.

For the latest news and updates on Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.