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Jul 31, 2023

Mavs WATCH: Luka Doncic Slovenia Highlights vs. Venezuela

OKINAWA, Japan — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic put on a show in Slovenia's 100-85 victory over Venezuela in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He recorded 37 points, seven rebounds, six

OKINAWA, Japan — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic put on a show in Slovenia's 100-85 victory over Venezuela in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He recorded 37 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block, leading his team in all five categories.

"We knew it was gonna be a very physical game," Doncic said. "We played against Venezuela two years ago, and they were a very physical team. They can shoot the ball very well, so it wasn't an easy game. We had to fight the end and win."

Doncic was efficient as he generated 1.276 points per possession as a result of shooting 11-18 (61.1 percent) from the floor and 13-16 (81.3 percent) on free throws. However, factored into his overall efficiency is his 2-8 (25.0 percent) shooting from 3-point range and four turnovers.

Venezuela's approach to attempting to contain Doncic often involved picking up full-court, but were often attempting to guard him straight up in the half-court as opposed to sending a double-team, or aggressively utilizing help rotations to protect the paint.

Often having a mismatch due to his size, Doncic posed a matchup nightmare for Venezuela's guards. The switch defenders posed little threat to contain Doncic, either. Without a rim protector or perimeter size, it proved too challenging for the defense to overcome.

When Venezuela did collapse on the paint, Doncic did an effective job of finding the open man. At times, the defense deployed a zone scheme, but beyond showing a different look to a superstar talent for a stretch, it did not prove to be the answer. When Venezuela did help in the paint, Doncic often made the defense pay with his passing.

Doncic's full highlights are included in the embedded YouTube video below. Subscribe to my channel for more content about Doncic and the Mavs throughout the FIBA World Cup and the 2023-24 NBA season.

Slovenia's next matchup is against Georgia on Monday, Aug. 28 at Okinawa Arena in continuation of the team's competition against Group F.

Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for in-depth coverage of each Mavs player participating in the World Cup.

Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here. Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.

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