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Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic returned to action for the Slovenian national team in a 90-71 win over Italy in a friendly. Doncic finished with 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists as Slovenia steamrolled past the Italians.
Doncic looked in great shape and stole the show with innovative plays that went viral online. Here's a compilation of his best plays from the game (via Bleacher Report Twitter):
It was a prep game for the Slovenian team, who will be taking on Croatia and Sweden in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in the next few days.
Luka Doncic putting in the work this offseason as he aims to make NBA Finals debut
The Dallas Mavericks had a remarkable 2021-22 NBA season. They finished with the fourth-best record in the Western Conference under new head coach Jason Kidd. Luka Doncic had another stellar season, and the Mavs ended up reaching the conference finals.
The season didn't start that well for the Mavericks, though. Dallas were 16-18 at one stage. Luka Doncic began the season out of shape and dealt with injuries until the end of 2021. However, he made a stellar return after that.
The Slovenian averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game. He successfully carried his form into the playoffs, where he averaged 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.
Doncic improved in several areas under Jason Kidd. He was better on defense and also learned to involve his teammates more, especially during the playoffs.
However, Luka Doncic can still improve. He has the size advantage over smaller guards and a high IQ to intercept passes and make steals. With the 23-year-old trying to get into top shape this offseason, fans may witness the best of Doncic in the 2022-23 campaign.
The Dallas Mavericks are actively trying to retool the roster around him. They've roped in big man Christian Wood, who is expected to share the scoring load with Doncic.
Coach Jason Kidd has left his mark on the team and he will hope they are in a better position to contend for the title next year.
Guess the Lakers players!
