The Dallas Mavericks' superstar duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving has been limited to underwhelming results in the Western Conference Semifinals. Will that change?
' series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they have leaned on a tough defense executing at a high level but have yet to receive up-to-par impact offensively from superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.in Game 4 personally outscored Doncic and Irving, who combined for only 27 points.
At some point, the Mavericks need their superstars to find a way to transcend the circumstances and dominate the game. P.J. Washington has led Dallas in scoring for three consecutive games by scoring 25.7 points per game while shooting a blistering hot 50.0% from deep on an average of 11.3 attempts. It remains to be seen how sustainable that impact can be, especially entering his fourth consecutive robust outing.
In Doncic's case, his step-back 3-point shot hasn't fallen consistently throughout the postseason as he battles through a right knee sprain and recently, also left ankle soreness. He's been highly efficient when finishing at the rim, but the volume of attempts isn't there given the defensive strategy of the opposition. Usually, he can turn to his short-range shot creation—whether a turnaround or one-legged jumper—but the results have been a mixed bag.
Irving typically picks his spots and moves the ball when he draws two defenders. The Thunder have dialed up these coverages effectively, knowing he will be patient when sharing the floor with Doncic. They're aggressive in signaling Irving to get off the ball when he's running the bench group, making it challenging to take over the game. Regardless, allowing one of the NBA's most talented offensive players to be neutralized this comfortably in a series is unacceptable.
While Irving's assessment is accurate, there's no doubt about that. However, the issue has become that the Mavericks' offense has largely continued to use a regular-season approach in the postseason while needing superstars to transcend the circumstances. Dallas cannot afford to view superstars doing the "little things" as moral victories, whether after a win or loss. At some point, the best players in the game not playing up to that standard catch up to a team.
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