The Dallas Mavericks have officially tipped off preparation for the 2024-25 season, with training camp underway in Las Vegas. They held their first practice of two on Tuesday, and Jason Kidd and Klay Thompson talked to the media afterward.

Kidd started by saying, “[The first day] is always teaching, and then the terminology for the new guys. A Refresher for the guys that have been here. I thought it was a great first day, we’ll go again tonight… just for them to get up and down, sweat, get to hear the coaches’ voices, to hear each other’s voices, and I thought we did a really good job of that today.”

READ MORE: First Look at Former Mavericks On Their New Teams

Kidd also said that veteran Maxi Kleber and newcomer Kessler Edwards, who is on a two-way contract, were the only two players who weren’t full participants.

A media member asked Kidd about Luka Doncic’s first practice since the NBA Finals, to which Kidd said, “He was ready to go. He’s excited about this season; he’s excited about the team. I don’t want to say he had an extra pep, but I think he understands what we’re trying to do, and he’s ready to go.”

Then, when he was asked how Klay Thompson was adjusting early on, “He’s done an incredible job, you’d have to ask him how he feels, but I think he fits right in. He understands what it takes to win… he’s going to help the younger guys, but also he’s going to help everyone when he’s on the floor.”

Thompson was also asked a few questions at the end of the first practice, saying the practice was “Just a ton of fun, really. Felt great to compete, run up and down, and hear from our coaching staff… It feels like transferring schools.”

He did say the Mavericks and Warriors have similar schemes, stating, “They’re very similar, just a few tweaks that are different. But they’re very similar as far as our defensive rotations and our schemes on the ball-handlers up top or on the sideline, so it won’t be a huge adjustment period for me.”

The Mavericks will be in Vegas for training camp through October 4th before returning to Dallas for the preseason.

READ MORE: Mavericks Veteran Discusses Return to Dallas

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Nino Niederreiter has taken a bit of a tour around the NHL’s Central Division, from Minnesota to Nashville to Winnipeg, so few know better just how deep it is.

The Dallas Stars are coming off a trip to the Western Conference Final, Colorado could get captain Gabriel Landeskog back after a two-year absence, Nashville loaded up by signing Steven Stamkos and others, St. Louis is back in the mix and Utah should be much-improved after relocating from Arizona. Only a maximum of five can make the playoffs.

“I feel like it’s back to a powerhouse,” Niederreiter said of the Central. “You have four or five teams that are going to play for the playoff spots, and I think it’s going to be very difficult.”

The Stars go in as the slight favorite after reaching the third round and pushing eventual West champion Edmonton to six games. Outside of the Oilers in the Pacific, Dallas is among the likeliest teams to get out of the conference and reach the final next spring, especially after making a long run.

“We learned just how hard it is to win,” young forward Wyatt Johnston said. “You always hear and everyone always talks about it. But you really learn once you get there how hard it is to win. It’s not easy to win even one playoff game, and you’ve got to win 16 of them to win the Stanley Cup.”

The Avalanche won the Cup three years ago, and hoisting it was the last thing Landeskog did on the ice in the NHL. Add him back to a group led by reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon and elite defenseman Cale Makar, and Colorado looks poised to be among the league’s best once again.

Then there are the Predators, who added Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in free agency and signed goaltender Juuse Saros to a long-term extension. Saros and his teammates know it is time to make it count.

“You’ve got to work and be humble to get all the pieces working together because it is a hard league to win,” Saros said. “But obviously the expectations are there, for sure.”

On the rise

The Blues pulled off the biggest surprise of the summer, signing Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg of the Oilers to offer sheets that Edmonton opted not to match. Five years since winning the first title in franchise history and after going through a bit of a reset on the fly, St. Louis is back as a clear contender.

“(General manager Doug Armstrong has) been pretty open and honest with everyone about our team the last couple years and being in a retool,” forward Robert Thomas said. “We’re in a time to push right now. The retool’s over, we’re ready to go and I’m excited to kind of show everyone what we’ve built in St. Louis.”

The Utah Hockey Club also made some splashes, acquiring two-time Cup-winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay at the draft among a series of moves by GM Bill Armstrong. There is also the excitement of the team formerly known as the Coyotes getting a fresh start in Salt Lake City, much like an expansion team but with tons of young talent already in place.

“It’s a great experience to be part of something brand new, a new team, because that doesn’t happen often,” goaltender Karel Vejmelka said. “It’s kind of unique, and I’m pretty excited about it.”

On the decline

Someone has to miss the playoffs other than Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks, who are likely at least a couple of years away from making that leap.

Minnesota might be on the wrong end of that in the final year of salary cap calamity. Buyouts of the albatross contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2021 will help the Wild immensely down the road, but they combine to count almost $15 million this season, which will hamstring GM Bill Guerin in what’s expected to be the final season for well-respected veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

On the hot seat

If Utah does not make a marked improvement, Andre Tourigny could be among the first coaches fired. Tourigny was brought in a few years ago to teach a young team good habits, and he has done that well, but an experienced hand at the wheel might be needed to take the next step for a franchise eager for a good start for their new fans.

Predicted order of finish

Dallas, Colorado, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, Utah, Minnesota, Chicago.

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Kyrie Irving was one of the Dallas players who talked the most to reporters Monday at the Mavericks practice facility. With opening night a little more than three weeks away, here is what the veteran entering his 15th year in the NBA had to say:

On the recovery from his broken left hand:

“It feels a lot better. Unfortunate circumstances, but also, it was much-needed in terms of being able to slow down after a long season like we had.

I was playing, you know, three days after we lost in the Finals, just because I didn’t know how to transition out of that competitive space. So I think breaking my hand actually gave me a lot of much-needed rest time.”

“It took me about eight weeks to heal. So from about the beginning of July until now, I’ve just been trying to get back and get into the swing of the rhythm basketball.”

On how he’s learned how to drive to the rim better for his longevity:

“You’re going to take some hits, and you just have to learn how to fall. I tell all the young kids out there, just learning how to fall is the key to longevity. That starts in the weight room, it starts in the little nuances of the game that I work on to help me with my balance and my core strength, and also just being mentally confident and prepared to take those hits.”

“I think, to add on to that, I’ve just become more of a two-foot jumper, as compared to a single-foot jumper, at the rim, just being able to have more options in the air off of two feet.”

On the acquisition of Klay Thompson:

“That was a big splash in the summertime. I think if you ask any of us, we feel like we got better as a team that has leadership and also experience, especially on that championship stage.”

“I’m excited that he decided to come here to commit to us for the next few years. I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now, and he’s added some great value to our championship aspirations.”

“Watching guys’ faces light up when Klay makes a shot, when it’s a difficult shot for most of us, it looks easy for him. When you’re around someone that’s special at a craft and a skill set, there’s nothing like asking that person about what makes them great.”

On meshing with Thompson and Luka Doncic:

“I feel like we all have great attitudes towards one another in terms of our skill sets. We all are curious about the game and how we continue to get better, but we’re also very selfless in our approach in wanting to see each other do well and ultimately win basketball games for the team.”

“I know a lot of eyes are going to be on me, Klay and Luka, but for us, we’ve done a great job, distributing that responsibility. I’m going to be needed in different situations, Klay’s going to be needed in different situations, and Luka is going to be needed in different situations. I think we all bring a different expertise, and now, when you mesh that all together, I think this season we’ll be able to translate it into wins.”

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.