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Luka Doncic put on a show in the first half of the Dallas Mavericks' preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. He had 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting and five assists in 17 minutes.
His performance drew mixed reactions, with some fans praising him for his scoring ability and others calling out the Mavs for the roster they have created, as they trailed by double digits, playing poorly on defense.
"Carrying his bum team unfortunately they will still be 15th seed," one user commented.
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"Nun changed they just can’t play defense," one user commented.
"Just a Thursday for Luka," one user commented.
"I mean seems about right but he can't do it by himself, season is too long and grueling," one user commented.
"Special," one user commented.
"2024 MVP," one user commented.
"They ain’t making the playoffs," one user commented.
"The only good player on that team," one user commented.
"MVP imop," one user commented.
"Losing by like 15 btw," one user commented.
How does Luka Doncic's Mavs look after multiple trades?
The Dallas Mavericks want to turn things around this season, after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign where they missed the playoffs after a collapse in the final part of the season.
This summer, the Mavs made a few additions that will help them add more firepower to their backcourt line and support the superstar duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Thus, they brought Seth Curry back, signing him in free agency, while they landed versatile defender Grant Williams in a sign-and-trade-deal with the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs.
In addition, they traded for Richaun Holmes, who played for the Sacramento Kings last season, while they inked a deal with Derrick Jones Jr. and Dante Exum in free agency.
Big man Dereck Lively got traded to Dallas from the OKC Thunder in the summer, while Irving and Markieff Morris joined the Mavs in a megatrade in February.
Overall, their roster looks to be deeper and more talented than last season, but the question here is whether it could support Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. On paper, Seth Curry and Grant Williams will be the key parts, as Curry is a sharpshooter, while Williams can elevate the team's defense, which was among the worst last year.
Exum can be useful as a backup point guard and brings a lot of veteran experience, while Derrick Jones Jr. will add another scoring option from the perimeter, and can help defensively with his shot-blocking ability.
Still, everything will revolve around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, with the Mavs having several players that can play off the ball. Yet again, defense will be the key if they want to be successful and have a deep playoff run.
The Dallas Mavericks will play four preseason games and will tip off the regular season at the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 25.
