Three Things the Mavs Must Do to Defeat the Clippers in the First Round

2. Kyrie and Luka Must Play Off Each Other

It took a little bit longer than anticipated, primarily due to lingering injuries both of them have been dealing with, but Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have finally found chemistry and have quickly turned into one of the most dangerous duos in the NBA.

An example of how powerful Doncic and Irving are when together is when the Mavs faced the Houston Rockets a couple of weeks ago. The Mavs were down by 22 against the Rockets in a crucial game, the Mavs needed to win due to how tight the Western Conference was becoming, especially with the Play-In Tournament looming only a week away and Dallas desperately trying to avoid it.

Fortunately for the Mavs, their two backcourt superstars stepped up when it mattered the most. They scored a combined 85 points, and Irving scored 25 in the fourth quarter to secure one of the biggest comebacks in Mavericks history.

After the comeback, Doncic spoke to the media about the team's chemistry, saying, "The chemistry is big. We are on a roll right now." This quote speaks for itself and proves how far the team has come regarding chemistry, especially between Doncic and Irving. Once the former Duke product arrived in Dallas during the midpoint of last season, sparks of great chemistry between Doncic and Irving were seen, and fans were excited for the future as many viewed Irving as a new and improved version of former Mavs point guard Jalen Brunson.

Growing pains quickly appeared, however, as Jason Kidd was still trying to figure out the best way to utilize these two stars on the same court. The two of them were figuring out the most effective way to play off of each other as Doncic was trying to adjust to frequently playing off the ball for the first time in his NBA career.

Over the past month or so, the two have finally learned how to play off each other most effectively, and other teams are paying the price. The Mavs finished the season with a record of nearly twenty games over .500 when Doncic and Irving played together, and both players averaged over 25 points. The apex of the two All-Stars' time together could not have come at a better time, as the two should present a challenge to any team the Mavs may end up facing this postseason.

If Kidd continues to run the offense through both guards like he's been running for the past few months, the Mavs could be on the verge of making a serious run this postseason. Most likely, Dallas will live or die based on how their two superstars can do together in the backcourt, similar to the 2018 Houston Rockets, who were able to go as far as their backcourt took them, which was made out of Chris Paul and James Harden. Hopefully, Luka and Kyrie can continue to flourish together this postseason and give the Mavericks a chance to make a serious run in the playoffs for the first time in several years.

Hopefully, Doncic and Irving can continue to flourish together this postseason and give the Mavericks a chance to make a serious run in the playoffs for the first time in several years.