NBA Exec: Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving Are Best Duo In NBA

An NBA executive told Hoops Wire that he believes Dallas Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the best duo in the NBA. 

Doncic and Irving are averaging a combined 59.7 points per game. 

“Luka and Kyrie are the best duo in the NBA,” the exec told Hoops Wire. “Their chemistry on the court is off the charts. They complement each other so well and they genuinely like each other.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Dallas makes a serious run in the playoffs. I don’t see a defense stopping Luka and Kyrie in a seven-game series.”

The Mavericks are 48-30 on the season. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference standings. 

Dallas is sixth in the NBA in points per game, 20th in points per game allowed and 10th in net rating. 

The Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets on Sunday (4/7) in overtime for their 48th win of the season. Irving put up 48 points in 44 minutes, while Doncic finished with 37 points in 45 minutes. 

“At the end of the game, Luka was like, ‘I’m tired, man,'” Irving said, via ESPN. “That’s why I just hugged him, man. He left it all out there, and he did all that he could. … That was kind of again, one of those ‘in the moment’ type things for us as brothers to embrace each other. We know how hard we’ve worked and how much work it took to get to this point in the season.”

Doncic is averaging 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists on the season. Meanwhile, Irving is averaging 25.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists. 

Doncic and Irving have both scored at least 35 points in a game three times this season, the most of any duo in the NBA.

“When the ball’s in my hands and I don’t see anybody coming to double, then that’s my time to be aggressive,” Irving said. “Teammates kept putting the ball in my hands. I had the matchup tonight, so we’re just taking full advantage of it. I had some easy ones go for me tonight and just continue to feed off good energy, man.”