Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are dazzling fans around the world this season, leading the Mavericks within one win of the franchise’s third NBA Finals in history. This postseason run has prompted many to hail the Luka-Kyrie backcourt partnership as one of the greatest in history. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd weighed in on that assertion, praising both his star guards individually, starting with Kyrie.
“When you talk about maturity, skill set, they fit. Kai has been around the block, he’s been with great players. He doesn’t mind being second or 1B. You just don’t find that a lot of times in this league…”
Kidd added how Kyrie has positively impacted the Mavericks as a team.
“He’s patient, he’s calm, his energy is in a positive place. He loves Dallas, he loves this group of guys, he’s mentoring the younger guys of what it means to be a pro. There is a debate out there, is this the best backcourt in NBA history? That’s kinda cool. Doesn’t happen all the time. It works.”
The 2011 champion then opened up on Doncic’s impact and how the pair play off each other.
“For Luka, his skill set is like no other. He’s pretty good too. He’s not afraid of the moment. But he’s not afraid of being able to go to Kai… You look at coming down the stretch, make or miss we got great looks with our quarterbacks being able to decide that… The trust that they have in one another is really cool to watch.”
"There's a debate out there 'is this the best backcourt in NBA history?'… that's kinda cool"
– Jason Kidd gives an excellent answer on why Luka and Kyrie are working out so well 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/8imj2Nmhbk
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2024
Doncic is averaging 32.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists through three games against the Timberwolves. Kyrie is holding his own, averaging 27.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. The pair are tearing the Wolves’ defense apart, and their excellence has Dallas one win away from the NBA Finals.
Dallas will be motivated to sweep the Timberwolves out of the Playoffs, getting nine days of rest for a banged-up Luka and Dereck Lively II, who won’t be available in Game 4 due to a neck sprain. The extra rest will be crucial to Dallas’ ability to keep up with the Celtics in the Finals.
Luka Doncic Calls Kyrie Irving ‘Mr. 4th Quarter’
Luka Doncic has been in awe of Kyrie’s fourth-quarter heroics this season, specifically commenting on what he did in Game 3. Luka called his co-star ‘Mr. 4th Quarter’ while praising him.
“Unbelievable. That’s why they call him, some people, Mr. 4th quarter, right? Just amazing,” Doncic said. “He scored, what, 33?… It’s amazing. He’s born for this situation. He (was) born for the clutch situations. So we just give the ball to him.”
Doncic also got real on the impact Irving has had on his growth as a person, helping the team be more mature and calmer.
“A lot. When we were winning by nine on the last possession I told him, ‘I’m tired as sh*t.’ He told me that’s the way it’s supposed to be. He brought that calmness to our team, to me, the maturity, and it’s been unbelievable to have him on our team. Learning from him every day, positive energy always, just a blessing having him on our team.”
This partnership might fail to bring home a title, but the Mavericks can rest assured that acquiring Irving was not a mistake on their part. They hit it out of the park with this trade and other acquisitions like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Derrick Jones Jr. over the last 12 months.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
