I agree with most of what IGS said. I dont agree with pulling Millsap from the starting lineup depending on who we're playing. That would completely arrest the development of a player. That said, I think we're far enough into the season to note that habit of slow starts. Sloan always talks about making the hard decisions and what not...well, he need to make one right now.
I appreciate the substantial agreement. However, I differ with the notion that pulling Millsap would arrest his development; in the past, Millsap has benefitted from getting unwarranted time glaring mismatches already (starting in years previous), so he's gotten more than his fair share of PT. It's not like I'm proposing that he be DNP'd for games on end like other developing players have been. Sloan has had no problem benching players indiscriminatly (and not just backups; although his play has been off and on lately AK comes to mind among those who have regularly been among the first 7 in the rotation who were benched for no apparent reason). But as I was careful to point out, it's not as important not to start a damaging matchup as to make adjustments quickly. Then again, Dallas vaulted to a near-double digit lead in the first 3 or 4 minutes anyway, so maybe I take that back. No reason to indulge a player with a starting role if he is going to be an instant liability.
Also, I'm only proposing that his minutes be reduced (probably to 25 MPG, give or take a few) in games where the matchups don't work, which is more the exception than the rule. That's a big part of my mantra for using any player, in any game: plan ahead to anticipate the matchups that work, make prompt adjustments mid-game if the matches aren't working, and stick with what works. Sloan did one of those things during the Mavs game, at most; Carlisle clearly did at least two. That first-quarter barrage wasn't luck ("odds"); the Mavericks had their players ready, and the players had themselves ready. Utah's coaches didn't, Utah's players weren't ready, and it took nearly a quarter (following two seemingly fruitless time outs) to adjust.
It isn't rocket science to anticipate (not just previously but in the future) that Deron, Price, maybe Watson, Miles, Evans, maybe AK, and the backup bigs should get extra minutes against the Mavs--and that Millsap and maybe even Jefferson (depending on his performance) should get fewer. By "more" I mean an extra 5 or 10 minutes (at least 10 minutes, up to 35 or so); by "fewer" I mean 5 or 10 minutes below 30 or 35.