5 Studs from Dallas Mavericks' suspenseful preseason loss to Utah Jazz

The Dallas Mavericks opened the preseason on Monday night with a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. Dallas stayed with Memphis for the majority of the game, but Dallas couldn't keep up with the star power of the Grizzlies as both Ja Morant and Desmond Bane played.

The Mavs were without Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson in that game, but that changed for Thursday night's game against the Utah Jazz. Both Thompson and Irving played, and Mavs fans were ecstatic to see him take the floor for the first time as a Maverick.

The vibes were excellent at the American Airlines Center, and the start of the NBA season is officially less than two weeks away.

5 Studs from Dallas Mavericks' suspenseful preseason loss to Utah Jazz

Although the Mavs took the 107-102 loss to Utah in this game, there were plenty of great takeaways to consider when analyzing Dallas' game. The Mavs went on a wild run to end the game and came out healthy once again.

Their starters continue to show out in their limited minutes, and several of their young players have taken the next step in their development.

5. Stud - Dereck Lively II

After a great game on Monday night, Lively II had another solid outing against the Jazz.

Lively II started the game strong, as his first bucket of the game was a slam after a pass from Klay Thompson, and he also had two blocks early. He left his mark on this game early on both ends, and he is becoming more complete of a player by the day.

Lively II's passing also continues to turn heads, as he seemingly always makes the right read. This was one of the biggest areas of growth from his rookie year, and his reads in the short roll make him extremely difficult to defend. He also showed an ability to pass to cutters when his back is to the basket, and his feel for the game is unheard of for a 20-year-old.

Lively II's stats aren't always going to stick out on the box score, but his impact on the game is as big as anyone on the team. His length, size, and athleticism help him alter countless shots on the paint and perimeter. He ended up finishing with four points, three rebounds, and two blocks, and he always brings great energy.

Lively II has been fearless when being forced to guard quicker players on the perimeter, and there are no holes in the youngster's game on the defensive end.

4. Stud - Jaden Hardy

In the Dallas Mavericks' first preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jaden Hardy erupted for 21 points and eight assists. Hardy knocked down six threes in this game and made some great passes, but his decision-making wasn't put to the full test.

He was expected to be the leading scorer with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson all out, and his 3-point shooting was on the next level. He was fearless when letting it fly from three, and before Thursday night's game, a whole new layer of pressure was added on Hardy's shoulders.

It was reported that Dante Exum would miss three months after getting surgery on his wrist, and he will be forced to step up in his absence.

He responded well in Dallas' game against Utah as he finished with 12 points and four assists while shooting 2-6 from downtown, and he made far fewer mistakes than he did on Monday. He was making the right reads when driving to the rim, whether that was dumping the ball off to the bigs or finding a shooter in the corner, and his fearlessness in this game is what stood up.

He doesn't shy away from the moment ever, and he is going to have to keep this up into the regular season. Hardy shooting a high volume of threes could pay off big for the Mavs if he can get his shooting percentages to rise back up, and his quick release allows him to get shots off over closing-out defenders.

Hardy also displayed his growing lob passing ability as he found Daniel Gafford in transition for a slam. He has grown tremendously as a lob passer since the start of the playoffs last season, and still, he doesn't need to be an elite playmaker.

Hardy just needs to be solid as a secondary creator, and Jason Kidd making him a lead ball handler in the preseason is preparing him for the rigorous regular season.

3. Stud - Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving missed the Dallas Mavericks' first preseason game on Monday night, and he had a great start to the preseason in his debut on Thursday night against the Utah Jazz. The vibes were great from Irving's end even before the game started as he was playing with his children during his pregame workout, and the good vibes carried over into his on-court performance.

Irving started off hot as he scored 12 points in the first half, and he was the same old Kyrie that Mavs fans are used to seeing. He was getting to his spots, finishing at the rim, and hitting tough buckets. He was clearly trying to get Klay Thompson involved early and often, as the old friends hit the ground running on the floor together.

Irving and Thompson are going to spend tons of time together on the floor together, and fans can't wait to see the new big three of Luka Doncic, Irving, and Thompson take the hardwood.

Irving's left hand seemed just fine after having surgery on it over the summer, as he was knifing to the bucket and finishing with either hand. His in-between game remains elite, and he looked great as a scorer from the mid-range and at the rim.

Irving didn't get a three to fall in this game, but still ended up shooting 6-11 from the field and provided a strong showing for the home fans. He was right back to hitting his tough mid-range jumpers from the baseline with a hand right in his face, and he is in a great position to have a dominant year in his second full season with Dallas.

2. Stud - Daniel Gafford

Daniel Gafford's start to the preseason on Monday night was slow, but he put the pedal to the metal on Thursday night against the Jazz.

Gafford finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, one steal, and three blocks, and he couldn't be stopped in the second half of this game. He was all over the glass on both ends, and his offseason workout regimen has paid off in a big way.

Gafford revealed that he put on muscle weight over the summer, and he looks strong as ever. He can't be stopped by many players around the rim when chasing rebounds, and he was dunking everything.

Gafford's ability to create second-chance opportunities for himself and others is priceless, and his energy helps get the bench unit amped up like no other. Even in a preseason game, Gafford was constantly yelling after big plays, being physical, and holding it down as a defensive anchor.

Gafford made it a goal for himself to average double-digit rebounds per game this season, and he could be well on his way to that goal if he continues to play this well. There isn't a huge drop-off when Gafford subs in for Dereck Lively II, and opposing teams will be in trouble if both of them can continue this level of dominance on both ends of the floor.

Both players can start when needed, and although Gafford will likely start the season coming off the bench, he seems ready to pick up right where Lively II leaves off when he checks into the game.

1. Stud - Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson's long-anticipated debut for the Dallas Mavericks finally happened on Thursday night, and he did not disappoint. The excitement surrounding his Mavs debut was radiating inside the arena before it even started, as fans got there early to watch his pregame warmup and there was much more media on the floor for last night's game compared to Monday night's game.

Thompson started the game with a couple of misses from the mid-range and one miss from the corner, and his first make of the game came from the free throw line and he went 1-2 from the line on that trip.

Early in the second quarter, Thompson made his first three of the game coming off a Daniel Gafford screen. Having Thompson on the roster allows the Mavs to use different off-ball actions to get him open looks, and he needs no space to let it fly.

Defensively, Thompson took on a diverse array of assignments ranging from Jordan Clarkson to Lauri Markkanen, and he held his own in every matchup. He was giving great effort and moving his feet well, and the Mavs will need him to continue to play at a high level on that end. Thompson is motivated to prove that he is still the defender he once was, and Jason Kidd complimented his ability to be a two-way player after the game.

The most underrated part of Thompson's game last night was his passing, as he had multiple assists to Dereck Lively II. Thompson's passing and overall play with bigs wasn't talked about much when discussing his potential impact in Dallas, and we could be seeing tons of assists from Thompson to Lively II and Gafford this season. After the game, Thompson said playing with Gafford and Lively II was one of the reasons he signed with the Mavs, and he is eager to get them good looks.

Thompson ended up finishing with 10 points on the night while shooting 3-5 from downtown. He was letting it fly with confidence regardless of where the defender was, and his 3-point shooting is going to be huge for Dallas this season.

There were oohs and aahs every time that Thompson shot the ball, and the mid-range shots off the dribble will start to fall over time. He spends tons of time working on those shots before the games, and his addition to the Mavs is going to be pivotal on both ends of the floor.

His on-court combination with Doncic is going to be scary, and he has a great shot at becoming one of the greatest shooters in Mavs history.