New Mavericks forward Doug McDermott makes debut after fast-break trade

Someone once said that you only get one chance to make a first impression.

For newly acquired forward Doug McDermott, it was a good one for the Dallas Mavericks.

McDermott had eight points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal in 21 minutes of play in the Mavericks' 130-123 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night.

The 6-foot-8 McDermott was acquired from the New York Knicks in a three-team trade deadline deal that sent Dallas veteran guard Devin Harris to the Knicks for McDermott and a second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets, who sent former Arlington Prep standout Emmanuel Mudiay to the Knicks.

"It feels amazing. It's been a long 48 hours, traveling, getting here and meeting everyone, but it felt good to play basketball and it was good to get a win with these guys the first time," McDermott said.

There will be obvious learning curves for McDermott while adapting to a new system and new teammates. He said the game still comes down to playing basketball.

"Honestly, I think coach (Rick) Carlisle just told us to play basketball. There's not a whole lot of sets, just go out there and play and make the right reads," McDermott said. "That's the kind of player I am. I just like to play basketball and just feel it out.

"I thought I did a good job on being unselfish and whenever you play unselfish, it benefits a guy like me."

The game and change of scenery is coming fast for McDermott. The Mavericks play at Houston on Sunday after a late Saturday win against the Lakers.

"It's always tough to get traded, but they welcomed me with open arms, which made it a lot easier for me," McDermott said. "I just want to be aggressive and play my game and have a good finish this season."

This story was originally published February 11, 2018 at 3:18 PM with the headline "New Mavericks forward Doug McDermott makes debut after fast-break trade."