Dusty May's Mavs Seek 'Fact-Finding Mission' In China for Preseason Opener
Dallas Mavericks coach Dusty May is treating the team's preseason opener in Macao as a fact-finding mission rather than a competitive priority. The team is using the game to identify roster weaknesses and test new player combinations following a significant offseason overhaul.
Why it matters
The Mavericks are integrating a new roster and coaching staff, making the preseason a critical period for establishing team identity and tactical execution.
Dallas spent the entire offseason being evaluated on paper. A new front office drew praise, a national championship coach got hired, a former No. 1 pick arrived for almost nothing and the roster filled up with young players nobody has seen together.
Friday morning in Macao, the Mavericks finally play somebody.
Dusty May is not pretending the result matters.
"It will be a fact-finding mission," May said during Saturday's media scrum. "We want to win every drill. We want to win every shooting competition. But winning is not going to be the primary objective."
What he wants instead is information and he explained why Houston is a useful source of it.
"They're going to expose some things because of the way they play and how hard they play and their athleticism and their switchability, but also then their skill on offense will challenge some parts defensively," May said.
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