The Dallas Mavericks are in full swing, with preseason games in Abu Dhabi scheduled for Oct. 5 and 7. Luka Doncic especially looks to already be in top form. While fans are all too familiar with his elite ability to attack the basket, the Slovenian superstar flashed some superb ball-handling skills that astounded even Mavs’ Kyrie Irving.

For the second time in two days, Doncic had assistant coach and practice defender Darrell Armstrong out of sorts. Irving, the master of handles, was noticeably impressed by his teammate’s exhibition. “Oh baby,” he exclaimed in excitement.

Doncic is already one of the most lethal offensive talents in the NBA, but if he somehow became even more elusive this past offseason, then defenses might truly have no answer for him. He knows how big this upcoming season is for his career and the Mavs organization. They took an unfathomable step back in 2022-23, but further failures would leave Dallas at a crossroads.

Mark Cuban and the front office have done everything in their power to prevent such a dismal scenario from occurring. They added Grant Williams, rookie Dereck Lively II and Seth Curry, among others, to beef up the roster on both ends of the floor. The modified supporting cast must compensate for any lapses in defense in the backcourt.

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd will make that compromise, however, just as long as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving remain an electric duo. Their chemistry should be even stronger after a whole training camp together, which spells trouble for the rest of the league.

Of course, people will be skeptical until this Dallas squad consistently puts up Ws on the schedule. In the meantime, though, fans will still enjoy the mastery of Doncic.