The Dallas Mavericks are hoping for a bounce-back season in 2023-24 led by backcourt stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Irving was traded to Dallas midway through last season, but things didn’t quite work out in the short term for the Mavs, as the team failed to even make an appearance in the Play-In Tournament.Still, no one is doubting the immense talent that both Irving and Doncic have, a point that was recently made clear by former NBA guard Jamal Crawford.
“You can make an argument that these two are the most skilled backcourt players to ever play together,” said Crawford, via Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
Doncic and Irving do indeed possess two of the most dynamic skill sets in the entire NBA. Doncic is more a floor general who can quickly dissect and exploit any holes in the defense, while Irving is one of the best pure scorers in NBA history, who has never matched up with a defender he thought could guard him, a trait that Jamal Crawford can surely relate to.
Where the Mavs have questions is on the defensive end, as both Irving and Doncic have been overall negative defenders in their careers despite their offensive wizardry. Dallas’ lack of defense spelled their downfall at the end of last season, and it remains to be seen whether their relatively few offseason moves were enough to shore up that end of the floor.
Regardless, fans can expect to see a plethora of offensive highlights from both Irving and Doncic in 2023-24.