As expected the Mavs placed Samaki Walker and Greg Dreiling on IR.  

Derek Harper, Jason Kidd, and Jim Jackson were elected as team captains.

The Mavs opened the season with an exciting (and strange) game against
Denver.  The Mavs were down by eight points midway through the first
quarter when Chris Gatling was inserted.  The Mavs then rattled off the
next 9 points to take a 19-18 lead with 2:40 left.  The games was tied
after one at 26-26.  Jackson had 15 points and George McCloud had 9
points.

Denver maintained a small lead through most of the 2nd quarter (3 - 8
point lead).  Kidd scored five consecutive points to cut Denver's lead 
down to 47-44 with 3:00 left.  The Mavs scored the next 4 points and a
free throw by Ervin Johnson left the game tied 48-48 at the half.  Jackson
had 15 points and 5 rebounds, McCloud had 11 points, Gatling had 12
points, and LaPhonso Ellis had 12 points.  And what was _really_ nice to
see, the Mavs out-scored Denver 24-16 in the paint thanks to Oliver Miller
and Gatling.

The 3rd quarter saw Dallas maintaining a small lead most of the way.
Dallas was up 63-60 with 3:40 left when Denver rattled off 2 3-pointers to
take the lead.  Denver led 71-68 after 3.  Neither team was shooting well
with Dallas shooting 39% FG and Denver shooting 34% FG.  Miller took
advantage of that and had 10 rebounds.  Jamal Mashburn (who did not
participate in pre-season) was struggling.

The 4th quarter was an exciting quarter with neither team able to build up
much of a lead.  Dallas led 85-84 with 4:10 left.  Denver pulled ahead at
89-87 with 2:15 left.  Dallas missed on 3 attempts.  Bryant Stith drove for
the running banker to put Denver up 91-87 with 1:18 left and concluding a
7-0 Denver run.  Jackson made 1 of 2 free throws.  LEllis missed a
3-pointer with 34 seconds left.  Jackson got a tip-in.  91-90 Denver with
just 29.3 seconds left.  Miller knocked the ball away and it was Dallas'
ball with 13.3 seconds left.  McCloud inbounded to Jackson who drove
toward the basket, drew the double-team, and dished to Gatling for the
easy 2 and he was fouled.  92-91 Dallas 7.1 seconds. Gatling missed the 
free throw, but grabbed the rebound, but Stith intercepted Gatling's pass
and raced down the court and drove for the layup.  But it was after the
buzzer.  Mavericks win 92-91.


Quotes:
Chris Gatling: "Jimmy drove the lane and they double-teamed him because 
he's a threat.  It was a free lane to the basket, and I just  knifed in 
and took it home."
 
Bryant Stith: "I couldn't hear the buzzer, the crowd was so loud.  With
everything in disarray, I was just trying to get the ball down the court 
quickly. I knew it was pretty close."
 
Jim Cleamons: "Well, that's one game down and 81 to go.  If the guys 
make me work this hard, I'll be an old man by the end of the season.  We 
had some lapses but we are getting better.  I'm happy with the way our 
guys performed."

Dal-Den boxscore