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There has been plenty of talk throughout the 2024 NBA playoffs as to whether the Dallas Mavericks have the best backcourt in NBA history in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. In Game 5 of their Western Conference Finals matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Doncic and Irving certainly solidified their case to be classified as such as they booked the Mavs' third trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history with a dominant 124-103 closeout win.
Doncic got the Mavericks going in the first quarter, further proving that there may not be a scarier man in the NBA when it comes to road playoff games than the Slovenian star. He scored 20 points in the first quarter as the Mavs ran out to a huge lead they wouldn't come close to relinquishing en route to finishing with 36 points, while Kyrie Irving took the reins from there as he scored 32 points in the final three quarters to match Doncic's scoring total.
And in so doing, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving continue to cement themselves as one of the best performing duos in the history of the NBA playoffs. The Mavericks duo became just the first since 1962 to score 35 points each in a closeout game to book a spot in the NBA Finals, per OptaSTATS on Twitter (X).
The only other duo to do so was the Hall of Fame partnership of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, two of the greatest to ever grace the NBA hardwood. On April 3, 1962, West and Baylor scored 38 points each in Game 6 to seal the deal against the Detroit Pistons in the 1962 Western Division Finals.
Will the Mavericks go all the way?
Being patient is even more difficult when the goal is within reach. Alas, the road ahead is only going to get more difficult for the Mavericks. Despite impressive taking care of the Timberwolves in five games, they will now have to overcome the Boston Celtics, a team that has lost a total of 20 games this season (regular season and playoffs combined).
This is a repeat of history; in 1962, following Jerry West and Elgin Baylor's magical performance in the closeout victory, the Lakers met the Celtics in the NBA Finals. However, the Lakers were stopped in their tracks. Despite pushing the Celtics to the brink, it was the Bill Russell-led team that stood on top. Russell had 30 points and 40 rebounds in a 110-107 Game 7 victory, doing just enough to combat a West-Baylor duo that scored 76 points combined (again) in the losing effort.
The Mavericks will be hoping not to encounter the same fate; Baylor, in particular, was rather unfortunate that his greatness came during an era where the Celtics simply refused to lose deep in the playoffs. Baylor made the NBA Finals nine times and only broke through with a championship during his final season in the NBA when he was a mere shell of his formerly great self.
The 2024 Celtics may be the favorite to win it all. After all, they have assembled a lethal top six of players who are adept on both ends of the floor. Kristaps Porzingis' return only serves to make things more difficult for the Mavericks. But with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the way, the Mavericks have shown that anything is possible.
Where Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving rank among the greatest backcourts of all time
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are not far off from being the best backcourt the NBA has ever seen, especially with the way they've come up huge for the Mavericks time and time again throughout the 2024 NBA playoffs.
There is no question that the Golden State Warriors' famous Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the cream of the crop. That duo has won four championships together as they ushered the NBA into the three-point era. Meanwhile, Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars also deserve their flowers; they led the Detroit Pistons to two consecutive championships in 1989 and 1990, and they are undoubtedly the most gritty and hard-nosed winners as they embodied the team's Bad Boys identity.
Other duos worth mentioning are Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, as well as Bob Cousy and Sam Jones. But in terms of shot creation ability, there might not be a duo that comes close to the Mavericks' superstar backcourt. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving can create any shot at a snap of a finger, and their ability to close out games makes the Mavs so hard to stop. If they end up overcoming the Celtics, then this becomes an even more interesting discussion.
