In the early stages of the 2023-24 season, Luka Doncic has been showcasing his stellar performance, averaging an impressive 39 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 9.7 assists in 36.7 minutes over the first three regular-season games.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving, who joined the Mavericks in February, has posted solid, yet lower than usual, numbers, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 35 minutes over two games.
NBA legend Vince Carter recently shared his perspective on the potential coexistence of these two star players within the Mavericks’ lineup.
Carter highlighted Doncic’s natural scoring ability and emphasized the importance of the young star prioritizing the facilitation of his teammates’ offense, particularly in the early stages of the game.
“What he has to kind of make his team and his guys on the floor better, create opportunities early to get those guys going because the game is easy for him,” Carter said on Run It Back
Expressing his observations, Carter noted that Doncic’s ball dominance at times could potentially hinder the involvement of his teammates in the early stages of the game.
He emphasized the significance of establishing a balanced offensive rhythm to maximize the team’s overall performance, particularly in crucial moments such as the fourth quarter.
“I think at times he pounds the ball a little too much and not getting guys involved early,” Carter remarked. “And then later on in the second half, late in the fourth quarter you can do whatever you want and be superstar and MVP candidate that he is.”
