NBA fans got their first look at a new superstar duo when Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving took to the floor together against the Sacramento Kings. Playing on the second straight night against the Kings was a challenging game, and the Mavericks lost in overtime.
One of the big questions, when the Kyrie Irving trade was announced, was which player would take the big shots at the end of the game. And with the Mavericks down 3 in overtime with just a few seconds left on the clock, Luka Doncic took a three-pointer and missed, losing the game for the Mavericks.
Kyrie Irving had just hit a big clutch three-pointer before that and many might have expected him to take the shot considering that he was hot. But the Dallas Mavericks‘ hierarchy has maintained that this is Luka Doncic’s team, so it was no surprise that he was the man for the moment. But speaking after the game, the Slovenian phenom himself admitted that he should have given the ball to Irving instead.
Luka Doncic felt he should have given the ball back to Kyrie Irving before his step-back 3 in OT:
"It's my bad. I should have given it back to Kai. For me, it's still a learning process, but, for sure, I should have given it back to him. He was really hot down the stretch." pic.twitter.com/nXSm0u8MBm
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 12, 2023
“It’s my bad, you know. I should have gave it back to Kai. For me, it’s still a learning process, but for sure, I should have given it back to him. He was really hot down the stretch, so that’s on me.”
Luka Doncic seems to already have great respect for Kyrie Irving, and his accepting this shows that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win. Superstars in his position will always want the big shots for themselves, but having a player like Kyrie next to him in clutch moments will only make Luka’s job easier moving forward. Mark Cuban isn’t worried about the fit, and there’s no reason for anyone else to be either.
What Did We Learn From Luka Doncic And Kyrie Irving’s First Game Together?
Even though the Mavericks lost to the Kings in their first game together, there were some promising signs in the game. Doncic and Irving combined for 55 points, showing they can both get their numbers while sharing the floor. And during their run together to end the second quarter, the Mavs flipped a 12-point deficit in just over 3 minutes, showing that they can be highly effective.
There is a lot for them to learn about playing with one another moving forward, but the signs on offense are promising. And considering that they both had 5+ assists each in the game, the early signs are there. If the team can step up on defense, the Mavericks are going to be a problem for just about any team in the league.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
