It took Klay Thompson just five minutes to make good on his bold promise

The Dallas Mavericks 2024-25 season opener was one of the most anticipated opening nights in recent memory given the team's good performance last season, but the headliner of this event was Klay Thompson making his debut.

Thompson showed some ups and downs in his three preseason games for Dallas, and fans finally got to see him play alongside Luka Doncic against the San Antonio Spurs.

Thompson started the game hot as he made his first two shots, a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer from the corner, but his performance on the other end also caught the attention of many fans.

During the preseason, Thompson made it clear that he wanted to prove that he was still a good defender, and he only needed a few minutes to prove that against San Antonio. He believes he is still the defender he was in his prime in Golden State, and Thursday's game against the Spurs was a good step in the right direction for him to reverse the narrative that his defense is strong has subsided.

In the first five minutes of the game, Thompson forced Victor Wembanyama into two turnovers. His active hands on that side were immediately apparent, and he made his mark on the defense early on in this game. Jason Kidd had Thompson defending Chris Paul early in that game, and even though Paul isn't the same player he once was, Thompson still made a point of playing tight defense on the perimeter and not giving up anything easy.

Thompson's lateral quickness is one of his biggest criticisms among analysts and fans alike when it comes to his defense, and he has proven that he can still move his feet when needed. Brandon Williams even praised Thompson's lateral quickness during Media Day, and if Thompson can defend like that consistently, the Mavs will be in a great position.

Since Thompson was considered a guaranteed starter during the offseason, numerous media outlets were immediately concerned and claimed that Naji Marshall should start instead. There were concerns that Thompson's defense wouldn't be good enough to play alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the starting lineup, and Thompson showed that wouldn't be the case.

He's shown that Kidd can be relied upon to take on some tougher defensive duties when needed, and that's a big plus for Dallas. The Mavs simply need him to be average or better in that regard, and Thursday night's game showed that the concerns about his defense may be gone by the end of the year.

His shooting remains otherworldly, and as long as he can hold his own on defense and not become a liability, fans will be jumping for joy. Typically, Thompson seems to be in all the right spots, and the Mavs would be thrilled if he could continue to be positive in that regard.