Matthews, Williams give Mavericks hope in preseason debut

The Dallas Mavericks are slowly regaining their health on the eve of the regular season.

Two members of Dallas' starting backcourt in Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams made their respective debuts Friday. They combined for 13 points and six assists on 4-of-10 shooting from the field in the Mavericks' 103-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Unsurprisingly, Dallas' marquee offseason additions looked rusty in their first taste of in-game action since last season's playoffs.

"I like the way they played, considering that Deron’s been out most of training camp," coach Rick Carlisle told Dwain Price of the Star Telegram following Friday's game. "His rhythm was unexpectedly good, all things considered.

"Wes played the way he’s been playing the last week and a half of practice, with a lot of grit and a lot of skill. Having those two guys out there was very important tonight, and they did a really good job."

Williams was mobile and had little trouble attacking the defense, but he mostly deferred playmaking duties to Raymond Felton while Dallas employed a two-point-guard lineup.

Matthews, meanwhile, was noticeably slower and rarely looked to shoot. At full health, Matthews is one of the league's best spot-up threats. He normally maneuvers masterfully through screens, but the quickness and explosion simply weren't all there for Matthews in his first game.

Nevertheless, the improved health of Williams and Matthews can only be taken as a positive sign for the Mavericks. The two veteran guards will be counted on for consistent production after Dallas dramatically reshaped its roster this summer.

The return of Matthews was unexpected. The 29-year-old tore his Achilles in March and was considered a long shot to return in time for the start of the regular season.

The player known as "Iron Man," however, carries the reputation as one of the league's toughest and most hardworking players. Matthews maintained for much of the offseason that he would return for the Mavericks' season opener on Oct. 28.

Williams, meanwhile, was sidelined for most of training camp with a strained right calf that also gave him trouble last season.

Matthews signed a four-year, $70-million contract, while Williams inked a two-year, $10-million deal this summer.