The Dallas Mavericks are in the 2024 NBA Finals, with their playoff run being a testament to the leadership of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Mavericks’ rookie Dereck Lively II has been integral to the Mavs;’ success in this run and revealed how the leadership of the team’s star backcourt is helping the team succeed.
“Their voice is law. If you’re on bullsh*t they’re going to call you out. At the same time, they have the same respect for you if they’re on bullsh*t and you’re supposed to call them out.”
Lively, who joined the team in June 2023, opened up on the great chemistry the team is carrying into the Finals.
“A whole lot of trust, just a whole lot of communication. In life, you could think someone has your back, but you’re never really going to know unless it happens in gameplay. You get blown by, you see your teammate putting his body on the line for you, makes you want to do that much more.”
The positive attitude of the team’s leaders has set the standard for fantastic team morale. Given how gloomy the Mavericks were at the end of last season, this turnaround had to be spearheaded by the stars of the team being happy.
Doncic and Irving set the tone for the Mavericks, with the others falling in line and keeping the energy up. Additions over the seasons such as Daniel Gafford, Derrick Jones Jr. Dante Exum, P.J. Washington, and more have added a spark to the locker room which has allowed the franchise to move on from last season as quickly as they have.
As Lively said, this doesn’t happen without Doncic and Irving setting a leadership example through their actions and building infinite trust with their teammates.
Doncic Said Getting Irving As A Teammate Was A Blessing
Before the start of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, it was clear that the Doncic-Irving backcourt was a massive success. Despite critics trying to poke holes in how the Mavericks constructed this team, Doncic believed in what this pairing could achieve. He said having a teammate like Kyrie was a blessing.
“Having Kyrie here has been a blessing. I always say, on the court, everybody knows what kind of player he is. Just off the court, he helps me a lot, not just me (but also) the whole team. He knows how to win the championship. He’s a very humble guy. Great guy. On the court and off the court, it’s just been a blessing to be with him.”
The Slovenian superstar has tried holding himself accountable for his own poor performances throughout the season, with him even admitting that he is trying to be more focused on his consistency for Kyrie. They hold each other accountable and push each other, which explains why they’re having this success this season.
Their dominance is hard to question through the Playoffs, with Doncic averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists this postseason, leading the Playoffs in eight statistical categories. Kyrie is averaging 22.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, with the pair setting records for backcourt production in Playoff history.
Beating the Celtics won’t be easy, with the Mavericks coming in as underdogs. But they were also underdogs against the Timberwolves, Thunder, and Clippers, so they need to dig deep and find a way to overcome their detractors one final time to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy aloft.
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