ATLANTA — The shine of the Mavericks’ undefeated preseason and aggressive, energized approach under Jason Kidd dimmed Thursday.
In the first quarter, when the Hawks erased slumping Dallas’ early lead.
In the second quarter, when Atlanta widened their advantage despite All-Star Trae Young not taking a featured scoring role.
And throughout the second half of the Mavericks’ 113-87 loss to the Hawks, when the Mavericks’ shooting woes and disjointed offense squashed their hopes of starting Kidd’s tenure as Mavericks-champion-turned-head-coach on a winning note.
Luka Doncic finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Kristaps Porzingis, the player who perhaps benefited most from the Mavericks’ coaching and philosophy changes, tallied 11 points and five rebounds on 4-of-11 shooting from the field.
Dallas, which has lost five of its last six season openers, trailed by at least 20 points for all but 26 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Kidd wasn’t sure when “the butterflies” would subside Thursday night in the Mavericks’ season opener against the Hawks.
Would his nerves ease at opening tipoff when the Mavericks had a game to — finally — play, just as they had when he started his rookie season in 1994?
Or would they last longer because he instead patrolled the sideline as the Mavericks’ new head coach after 13 seasons of Rick Carlisle?
Whenever Kidd’s apprehension subsided, the feelings that followed likely weren’t pleasant
The Mavericks opened a 10-2 lead in the first three minutes with Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. swishing 3-pointers and Doncic hitting a one-legged fade from the high post.
The good vibes and efficient production from the Mavericks’ 4-0 preseason — when none of the core players ever needed to exert themselves into the fourth quarter because Dallas cruised through the dress rehearsals — appeared primed to continue into the regular season.
But the Hawks, who took the champion Bucks to six games in the Eastern Conference finals four months ago, proved to have superior depth, production and consistency.
Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated featured Doncic and Young on its NBA preview cover together.
Though they’ll long be linked for the 2018 draft night trade between Dallas and Atlanta, Young’s squad appeared more adept in supporting its All-Star in the opener.
Kidd has emphasized deflections and steals on defense, and the Mavericks at times double-teamed Young to keep his range and vision in check. It worked, as Young didn’t score until 3:59 remained in the first half. But by then, the Hawks led by 12 points, at the time their largest lead of the night.
Doncic, meanwhile, scored just seven points (2 of 7 from the field) in the first half but received little help from his teammates.
Hardaway started as the Mavericks’ most efficient shooter, but he didn’t regain his rhythm after suffering a laceration on his chin late in the first half. Jalen Brunson (17 points) started 0 of 4 from the field.
While Kidd has aimed to give players more freedom on the attack — for Porzingis to play out of the post, for example, and for others to push the pace in transition — the Mavericks’ offense appeared choppy and lacked ball movement through long stretches.
Just before the opening tip, the NBA named Kidd to its 75th anniversary team, joining Dirk Nowitzki’s selection earlier in the week.
But rather than celebrating one of the franchise’s greats earning his first triumph as its leader, the Mavericks finished with reserves from the end of the bench playing the last few minutes with victory out of reach.
