Speaking on the “Run it Back” show this week, former NBA swingman Chandler Parsons gave a bold take on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. On live television, Parsons called the Mavericks stars the best backcourt duo in the history of the game.
“I think they’re better, yeah. Nobody expected them to get to the Finals last year,” said Parsons. “I think that that was a huge success for that team. and now you look at this dynamic duo that creates so much attention and so much offensive movement with Luka and Kyrie, Then you add arguably the greatest shooter of all time to that roster and they get deeper… The [team] doesn’t have to stay healthy. [Luka Doncic] and Kyrie [Irving] have to stay healthy… [They are] arguably the greatest backcourt in the history of basketball.”
Parsons, a 9-year NBA veteran, played for the Dallas Mavericks from 2014-2016, leaving two years before his arrival. While he was never more than a role player on his teams, Parsons has played with some elite-level talent before, including former MVP shooting guard James Harden.
When most people think of the greatest backcourt duo ever, it’s undoubtedly Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Splash Brothers are regarded as the best shooting pair in basketball history and their dominance together resulted in four championships over an 8-year span.
Next on the list are Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. While they are often left out of basketball discussion today, the duo led the Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Their defense is still renowned today for its stifling effect on scorers.
Talent-wise, the Mavericks duo is easily up there with the best of All-Time. At just 25 years old, Luka Doncic has already proven himself as one of the best in the world and he’s got the numbers to prove it with averages of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game on 48.7% shooting last season.
His steady hand and unstoppable scoring have carried the Mavericks to relevance for years and he’s led them to two Finals appearances since 2018.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, is a star and NBA champion. After stints with the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Nets, Irving was traded to the Mavericks back in 2023 and he’s been a perfect fit with Luka. His elite ball handling and expert shooting ability have opened things up for the Mavericks and have given them another go-to scorer in the clutch.
Together, the duo make up arguably the best offensive tandem in basketball and they are a serious threat to win the title this season with sharpshooter Klay Thompson added to the fold.
But until they actually do go out and win it all, you’ll be hard-pressed to find many fans who put them in the same breath as Steph and Klay. You need hardware to be the best and so far, Luka and Kyrie haven’t won anything together besides a few playoff rounds.
To change that, it will take a complete and cohesive effort from everyone on the team but the odds are still favorable for the Mavericks as a team with three of the best scorers in the game.
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