Last season, a disgruntled Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Nets. Brooklyn accommodated Irving and traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. His first half-season with the team did not end well. The Mavericks fell out of playoff contention and it was a rough end to 2022-23.
Luckily, the Mavericks have bounced back in 2023-24 and look like real contenders in the West. That’s thanks to the dominant play from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving all season. Dallas made upgrades to their roster at the trade deadline because they believe in the roster they’ve assembled. Just how far can Doncic and Irving take the Mavericks in the 2024 playoffs?
Can Dallas make a deep playoff run with their backcourt pairing of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving?
The Dallas Mavericks in the last 15 games:
#1 record (13-2)
#1 defense (106.0)
#7 offense (117.1)
#2 net rating (11.1)— Jo (@MavsStan41) April 8, 2024
In 49 games that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have both played, the Mavs are 33-16 this season. Overall, the team is 48-30, good enough for fifth in the Western Conference. With just four games left in the regular season, Dallas has a strong chance of avoiding the play-in tournament this season. The Mavericks have a two-game lead on the Suns and Pelicans who are both 46-32. If the playoffs started today, Dallas would be facing the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round.
To make a deep playoff run in 2024, the Mavericks will need their all-star guards to play their best basketball of the season. First up is Luka Doncic who was named to his fifth straight all-star game in 2023-24. Doncic’s (33.9) points per game leads the NBA this season. Additionally, he averages (9.8) rebounds, (9.2) assists, and (1.5) steals per game. That’s elite production that cannot be replaced by any player on their roster. In three postseason appearances, Doncic averages (32.5) points per game. He’ll be more than ready to give Dallas that type of production this postseason.
Last week of the regular season! 🗓️⤵️#MFFL pic.twitter.com/FY10J0giqZ
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 9, 2024
Doncic’s backcourt partner this season has been former NBA Champion Kyrie Irving. He’s fit in well with Dallas over the last two seasons and is still playing at an extremely high level. His (.410) three-point percentage is the highest of his career since the 2021-22 season. The 32-year-old is averaging (25.8) points, (5.0) rebounds, (5.1) assists, and (1.5) steals per game. Along with the production of Luka Donic, Dallas has one of the best backcourts in the entire league. Luka and Kyrie are two of the best shot-makers in the NBA. They can score from anywhere on the floor and are offensive savants. How far can they carry the Mavs in the 2024 playoffs?
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