Drawing any sort of conclusions after the first exhibition game is like playing a poker hand after you get one card.

It's especially tough when 80 percent of the starting lineup sits out.

That said, the Mavericks 116-102 preseason-opening loss to New Orleans on Saturday in Bossier City, La., left newcomer Harrison Barnes with some positive thoughts.

"We're pretty athletic, and we've got a lot of guys who can play a lot of positions," Barnes said. "We've had some battles in practice, and it was good to beat up on somebody else."

The Mavericks looked like the quicker team, and even in a losing effort they had solid production from young, athletic players such as Justin Anderson and Seth Curry.

"Seth is always going to play tough," J.J. Barea said. "He came up through the D-League, so he's always going to have an attitude. And I think we're quicker and more athletic than last year."

The Mavericks got 12 points, four rebounds and three assists out of Curry in the preseason opener.

"I feel like this is a great organization and system for me," he said. "I thought I played well, and I was trying to focus on the defensive end. That's where I need to make the biggest strides."

The Mavericks have several players who are intriguing on the offensive end but need work defensively, such as Curry, Nicolas Brussino and Jonathan Gibson.

The rest of the preseason, which continues Monday at American Airlines Center against Charlotte, will go a long way toward determining who earns playing time.