Klay Thompson was fortunate to play with one of the best players in NBA history during his decade-plus years with Golden State.

Now he's doubly blessed to play with Luka Dončić, who may one day overtake Steph Curry in the conversation of the NBA's greatest players of all time.

And for Thompson, Thursday's season opener was a more eye-opening moment than he could have imagined.

“It was great to be out there with Luka,” he said. “What an incredible talent. And that doesn't make any sense at all because what we were taught growing up to become the best basketball player is that you have to jump the highest and run the fastest.

“Somehow Luka resists it. He plays at his own pace and manipulates a game better than I've ever seen anyone do. It’s great to be a recipient of that and get some great looks.”

That comment came after Dončić posted 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 120-109 win over San Antonio. It was almost overshadowed by Thompson's 22 points, which included 6 of 10 three-point shots – exactly the kind of game-changing long-range precision the Mavericks acquired him for.

“He was great, he took a lot of shots, he moved outside and also played great defense,” Dončić said. “I'm just glad we have him. It's easy to play with a guy like that. It makes my life and Kai’s life easier.”

It was so easy for Kyrie Irving that he didn't even have to come off the bench in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks had a secure cushion in the final 12 minutes.

One of the highlights of the night was when Dončić found Thompson near the top of the three-point arc. The 6-6 Thompson was so alone that he had time to do a quick dribble – a “crab dribble,” as he called it – and calmly sink a three-pointer.

What was Dončić thinking during this play when he saw Thompson with no one in the same zip code as him?

“I think it’s going in,” he said. “He had so much time that he had to take a dribble. Playing with him makes my life easier.”

Thompson said he often does, rallying with one dribble when the defense is nowhere to be found. And by the way, Luka had already turned around to go back to the defensive end of the field.

“When you're getting ready to shoot the ball and you're so open, sometimes you think about it too much,” he said. “So it's nice to endure a crab dribble and it gives you a lot of rhythm.

“I heard Luka running across the floor. I’m glad I did it and didn’t make him look stupid.”

Luka, who said he played “horribly,” actually wasn’t bad at all. He made just 9 of 25 shots, but was 4 of 11 on three-pointers. And he was the leader of excellent ball movement that resulted in 27 assists.

So was it really easier when Thompson was out there on the sidelines?

“Yeah, sure,” Dončić said. “It gives me and Kai a lot of space to create. Not just for Klay, but for everyone. You can't leave Klay open. You can't leave Kai open, so it becomes difficult for the defense.

“But we just have to take it game by game and read the game.”

In fact, every game will be different. Hopefully, however, the results will be the same in most cases.

Here are a few more takeaways from the season opener.

When it comes to trebles, we still prefer Klay to Wemby: San Antonio could have the best player in the league in Victor Wembanyama in a few years. But on Thursday, in the first game of his second season, the reigning 7-4 rookie of the year missed his first six three-pointers and finished the game 1 of 8 from long range. The Mavericks limited him to 5 of 18 shots overall. Wembanyama finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds. His four ball losses coincided with those of Lukas. “He’s obviously the future of this league,” Thompson said. “He does things that no player can really do. He looked good.” Interestingly, Thompson only had two fewer rebounds (seven) than Wembanyama. “I thought he did an incredible job with that,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The offensive rebounds (three), with the way we shot in the first half, there were a lot of offensive rebounds to be had.” It helped the Mavericks survive well as the three-guard lineup combined for 20 rebounds.

Effective protocols from Hardy, Kleber: When the Mavericks struggled in the first half and were unable to score enough points to keep up with the Spurs, Jaden Hardy came through with three 3-pointers. Later, in the second half, when Daniel Gafford picked up his fifth foul, Maxi Kleber helped defeat Spurs with 15 good minutes. “I thought “Hardy was a big positive for us in the first half,” Kidd said. “He made sure everyone calmed down. We couldn't see a three-pointer in the basket until he started making some for us. I thought it was contagious.” Hardy had 11 points, Kleber had three points, four rebounds and a block.

Final thought: The Mavericks showed strong rebounding ability in this game. In the end they were outscored 52-50, but to stay so close against a Spurs team with Wembanyama is a good sign. Seeing Dereck Lively II come off the bench with a team-best 11 rebounds was huge. While he and Daniel Gafford will be involved on offense, their rebounding, defense and shot blocking will be a bigger priority.

X: @ESefko