And speaking of chemistry, there's a lot of buzz surrounding the Mavericks’ roster this season. One name stands out—Klay Thompson. Yes, that Klay Thompson, a sharpshooting, two-way player who has now joined forces with Doncic. But the missed preseason left Doncic and Thompson without a single game together before the regular season kicks off. When asked if his absence affected the team's ability to gel, especially with Thompson in the mix, Doncic acknowledged the challenges. "Probably," he admitted. “I haven’t played a game since [playing for Slovenia in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament]. It’s kind of tough. Games are always different than practices, so we’ll see on Thursday. I’m sure there’s going to be excitement. I haven’t played a game since the national team, so I’m happy to play.”
One can only imagine the pent-up energy Doncic has stored. The last time he competed in a meaningful game was all the way back on July 6, when Slovenia faced a tough defeat against Greece in the semifinal round of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Prior to that, Doncic had just wrapped up his first NBA Finals appearance, where his Mavericks fell short to the Boston Celtics. Despite the runner-up finish, his performance throughout the playoffs cemented him as one of the NBA’s premier superstars. However, the offseason wasn’t all rest and relaxation for the Slovenian prodigy. Battling through several injuries sustained during the playoffs—including a right knee sprain and a chest contusion—Doncic spent most of his summer recovering, honing his skills, and preparing to come back stronger.
Rehabilitation didn’t stop him from working on his game. Doncic spent hours in the gym, fine-tuning his shot and working on playing with better pace. It’s something the Mavericks have been emphasizing as they look to build on their sixth-place ranking in pace from last season. For Doncic, pacing is about more than just speed; it’s about dictating the flow of the game on his terms. He’s already one of the league’s most cerebral players, and adding better pacing to his toolkit could make him even more unstoppable.
But what’s most exciting about this season isn’t just Doncic’s personal growth; it’s the new-look Mavericks. Jason Kidd, the team’s head coach, is quick to remind everyone that while last season’s trip to the Finals was a monumental achievement, this is a new team with new faces and a fresh set of expectations. Kidd has made it clear that while the goal remains the same—bringing a championship to Dallas—the path will look different. When asked what he learned from last season’s deep playoff run, Doncic didn’t hesitate: “Why not look back? We went to the NBA Finals, which is pretty unbelievable and it’s very, very hard,” he reflected. “Looking back at when we started, we know how hard it is to get there. Every detail matters and it’s very important that we have this mentality in the beginning.”
The new trio in Dallas is causing quite a stir. Doncic is now set to play alongside Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, two other big-name stars who can lighten his scoring load. On paper, it looks like a match made in heaven. Thompson is a perfect off-ball player who can complement Doncic and Irving, both of whom like to have the ball in their hands. While no one knows exactly how this trio will mesh on the court, there’s certainly no shortage of excitement. So far, Irving and Thompson have only had two games together, offering just a sneak peek of what’s to come. But with Doncic rejoining the lineup, Thursday’s season opener against the San Antonio Spurs will provide the first real test for this new "Big Three."
In a way, Doncic’s injury could end up being a blessing in disguise. The Mavericks have had to experiment with different lineups and rotations during the preseason, giving some of the role players a chance to step up. And let’s not forget, Doncic has always been able to deliver even after missing time. Last season, he also missed the preseason finale due to a calf injury, only to come back and set the league on fire. In the first seven games of the season, he averaged a blistering 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.9 assists while leading Dallas to a 6-1 start.
Now, as the regular season kicks off, the Mavericks are poised to come out swinging. Dallas has the luxury of playing seven of their first nine games at home, where they were an impressive 25-16 last season. With matchups against playoff teams like Phoenix (twice), Minnesota, Orlando, and Indiana, the early part of the season is going to be crucial for the Mavericks to set the tone. And Doncic is locked in. “We’re not joking around,” he said. “Like I said, we’ve worked hard. The new guys that came here have shown they can play. They can help us. So the one thing is we’ve got to play hard. That’s it.”
His teammates have echoed that sentiment. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd mentioned that Doncic’s motivation to win a championship is “extremely high,” and you can feel that hunger in the way Doncic talks about the season ahead. The addition of Thompson and other key players should, in theory, allow Doncic to take a step back in terms of sheer scoring load. While he led the NBA in scoring last year with a career-high 33.9 points per game—including a jaw-dropping 73-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks—it’s not all about scoring for Doncic. “Yeah, probably,” he said when asked if he could have just as good a season without scoring as much. “It depends on the defense, what they give us. I think every game is going to be different.”
That kind of adaptability is what separates Doncic from the rest. Whether it’s adjusting to defensive schemes or finding new ways to elevate his team, Doncic understands that success in the NBA is about the little things—the minutiae that can change the course of a game or a season.
As the Mavericks gear up for another long journey through the NBA grind, one thing is clear: Doncic and his team are ready to fight. He said it best himself: “We gotta show it every day. We have to show what kind of players we are and what we work for. I think we worked really hard this preseason. What people should expect, we’re going to play 100%, show who we are and we’re going to battle every day.”
With that mentality, and with the firepower surrounding him, this season could be the most thrilling chapter yet in Doncic’s already remarkable career.
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