The most elite individual players will always have a positive impact. There is a rare occasion when, when two persons of similar caliber are brought together, the feelings are not positive. After all, nice guys have to play with nice guys. And this is the same reading that can be made from the first game they played Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving In dallas mavericks, This stellar pairing can’t be gauged from just looking at the results, 133-128 overtime loss to the Sacramento KingsBecause it would be unfair for the Mavs to remain on the surface of what is called the beginning of a new era.
The debut of this pair lived up to the expectations more than expected. And, in a way, they both took to the court as expected. luka doncic took a big load in making decisions during the first half of the match, while Kyrie Irving was waiting for his moment To decide one against the other.
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It wasn’t until the finale that the true potential and fit of these two was seen. The stars were repeatedly paired to facilitate choices for each other. By mutual inhibition and motion without the ball, both provided themselves with opportunities to score with more or less success. it’s just their performance clutch Which gives Mavs fans the most hope, as he has shown that he has a tremendous ability to punish his opponents when the game gets tough. quickness of feet and ability to run without the ball kyrie fits the bill With the vision of the game and the positional dominance of Luca.
However, for Irving this method of finding his shots or facilitating the passing lane comes naturally to the rest, It is Doncic who is most likely going to have a tough time with his new partner. Evidence of this were the two final service acts in which both intervened. Finished with a forced shot from a Slovenian that didn’t penetrate. The second should have been a 3-pointer by Kyrie, but it ended up in a basket by Luca for the post.
In fact, at the end of the duel, the Slovenian admitted his blunder regarding the first option. “I should have given it back to Kyrie”Luke said. “It’s a learning process for me. But I should have given him the ball back. He was great at the end of the game.”
The balance of the Mavs’ prior experience with their new tandem invites optimism. In the 29 minutes the two shared, the Texans scored a +/- 14 digit positive reach, with an interesting launch percentage 54.7% on field goals, 39.3% on triples and 95 possessions with 10 turnovers, Thus, Doncic finished with 27 points (55%), 9 rebounds and 5 assists, while Irving was the top scorer with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
Without falling into overreactions, what is expected in these first weeks together will be a kind of aggressive turnismo by which both will alternate in making decisions while the other contemplates the play. An example:
Kyrie tough spins and drives to the finish
Kings ahead by 4 with 1:27 remaining in OT!
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– NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2023
something that is part of the natural process of adaptation between the two and the creation of a friendly ecosystem For Doncic and Irving that Jason Kidd’s coaching staff has to lead.
The potential for this pairing is endless. The combination of the two could make them the most decisive offensive duo in the NBA. Front 24 games to meet And create a system that takes advantage of the best of each.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
