After a disastrous 2022-23 season, the Dallas Mavericks are looking to bounce back and return to the playoffs.
They’re led by Luka Doncic, one of the best and most unique players in the NBA, and he is set to represent his native Slovenia in the upcoming FIBA World Cup.
In an exhibition game versus Greece, he had to come out of the contest after banging knees, but according to Tim MacMahon, Doncic should be just fine moving forward.
“No concerns,” source tells ESPN after Luka Doncic banged knees during Slovenia’s exhibition loss to Greece today. Doncic exited early as a precaution. https://t.co/IzKIjwZvOb
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) August 4, 2023
Over the past few years, the 24-year-old Doncic has been one of the most prolific players in pro basketball, and he has flirted with averaging a triple-double in each of the past four seasons.
This past season, he put up 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists a game while shooting a career-high 49.6 percent from the field.
At midseason, the Mavs, who were barely remaining over .500, traded for Kyrie Irving, and suddenly, many expected them to become dark-horse title contenders.
But instead, they fell apart down the stretch and finished just 38-44, which left them out of the playoffs and the play-in tournament.
Dallas has quietly had a solid offseason, as they have added sharpshooter Seth Curry, forward Grant Williams, big man Richaun Holmes, and promising rookie Dereck Lively II.
One would think they would be a virtual lock to return to the playoffs next spring, and much of their chances of doing so will fall on whether Doncic and Irving will make things work together and build chemistry.
Both are ball-dominant players, and it will be interesting to see how they try to mesh their immense skills together.
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