In his latest appearance on ‘Undisputed’, Paul Pierce declared that Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are the best-scoring duos in NBA history. He delivered this sentiment after the Mavs defeated the Heat 111-92 as they combined for 54 points. Pierce alluded to the Mavericks’ remarkable turnaround after the All-Star break, breaking down the reasons behind his claim. Additionally, he also believed the Mavs have a “shot” at reaching the NBA finals.
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For him, it is not just the offensive firepower, but also the defensive prowess that has made Mavs an enticing choice to win it all. The discussion stemmed from Pierce claiming that the Mavs can beat the Clippers in the first-round, best-of-seven series. The Truth alluded to Kyrie Irving’s championship experience. He also picked Kai in a “one-on-one” with the Slovenian maestro.
“Since All-Star break, they have been one of the best defensive teams, ranking opponents field goal; eighth. They are scoring better. They have all the ingredients of a team that can go to the finals. You have a top-five player MVP candidate, arguably the best player in the league. You have experience, Kyrie’s championship experience,” Pierce justified his take to Skip Bayless and Keyshawn Johnson.
Contrarily, the 2008 NBA champion painted a grim picture for the loaded Clippers team. They might meet in a first-round series since they are the fourth and the Mavs are the fifth-seeded. The Truth claimed that Clippers’ guards James Harden and Paul George have “not come up big” during big playoff games. Apart from that, Leonard’s injury status has cast a big shadow over the roster balance.
Therefore, the Clips’ chances look slim compared to the Mavs. For Pierce, the Mavs look unstoppable because they have the sharpest duo in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. He labeled them as the GOAT scoring duo. Therefore a look at some of the greatest offensive one-two punches can give us a comparative scenario.
How do Kai and Doncic match up to illustrious duos?
Considering the amount of ‘superteams’ in the modern age, it is difficult to discern whom to use as a measuring gauge. However, the duo of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry is surely one of them. They were in three consecutive finals and won 2 titles together. It had two of the best off-the-dribble and off-the-catch shot creators ever. Playing in 168 games together, they mustered up 51 points per game in combination, per Statmuse.
The scoring duo of Irving and LeBron James also stands out. In the 2016 finals, the Cavs duo accounted for 56.8 points per game. When it comes to the finals the duo of Kobe and Shaq deserves a mention as well, as they regularly breached 50+ points average in two straight finals. However, O’Neal overwhelmingly edged out the Mamba to lift three straight Final MVPs.
Pierce’s claim about Irving and Doncic may appear far-fetched but has solid reasoning. Both are dynamite ball handlers and have many tricks up their sleeve. They are elite shot-creators and Irving learned the ability to play off the ball during his Cavs stint with James.
As for the Mavs, thanks to their mid-season adjustments, they have won 16 of their last 18 games. They are all set to feature in the playoffs now. The stage is set for Kai and Luka to shine!
