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Last season's top two rookies seem to have picked things up right where they left off last year, as Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young and Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Luka Doncic both impressed in their respective season openers.
It was Doncic who eventually emerged as least season's runaway winner of the Rookie of the Year trophy, but Young made sure that he was at least going to make it an interesting battle, especially after the All-Star break. The friendly rivalry between these two rising stars appears to be back in full swing again this season, and it certainly didn't take long before Young and Doncic reignited the flame.
Doncic drew first blood on Wednesday night, as he led the Mavs to a 108-100 victory against the Washington Wizards. The 20-year-old played like a man possessed, logging 34 points (on a highly-efficient 12-of-19 from the floor), four three-pointers, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 34 minutes of play. He did commit six turnovers, though, but his tremendous opening night performance was certainly one for the books. As a matter of fact, it slightly overshadowed the return of prized big man Kristaps Porzingis (23 points, three treys, four rebounds in 29 minutes) who finally made his highly-anticipated Dallas debut.
Young probably saw Doncic's highlight reel from the previous evening, and did his arch-rival one better on Thursday, as the Hawks took on the Detroit Pistons. The 6-foot-2 point guard caught fire against Detroit, as he put up 38 points (on 11-of-21 shooting), six three-pointers, seven rebounds, nine assists, a steal, and six turnovers in 37 minutes of play. Young's heroics resulted in a 117-100 victory against a Blake Griffin-less Pistons side.
Doncic and Young had two of the most noteworthy opening night performances in the entire league, and this is simply testament to the fact that both youngsters should be in for another huge season for their respective sides. If these debut outings are any indication of the type of year these two guys are going to have, then surely, it would be safe to say that the dreaded sophomore slump is not going to be applicable to either of them.
What makes this budding rivalry even more interesting is the fact that both Young and Doncic do not only have a likeness to their types of games — both flashy playmaking guards, who have a tremendous knack for getting the ball inside the basket — but also, their status for their respective teams are also quite comparable. Both Young and Doncic are considered to be the future of their respective franchises, and it is undeniable that there is a ton of pressure on both men to lead both the Hawks and the Mavs to greatness in the near future.
The career of these two will certainly run parallel for years to come, and we should count ourselves fortunate to be able to witness such a rivalry from the onset. We're only just in Year 2 of the Young-Doncic era, and based on what we saw on opening night, we should be in for quite a ride this season.
