Luka Doncic lauds Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown as NBA’s greatest duo

BOSTON — Mavericks famous person Luka Doncic had excessive reward for the Celtics’ star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown forward of Wednesday’s recreation in Boston.

“They’re in all probability the No. 1 staff within the league, they usually in all probability have one of the best duo within the league, too,” Doncic mentioned. “And we’re within the Backyard — it is at all times a particular recreation. You need to come 100%. Should you’re not, you are in all probability going to lose. It is a massive recreation.”

Doncic, in his fifth NBA season, enters Wednesday’s recreation (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) because the NBA’s main scorer at 33.5 factors per recreation whereas additionally averaging 9.1 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.9 steals.

Tatum and Brown, in the meantime, are the league’s highest-scoring duo, averaging a mixed 55.5 factors per recreation – simply forward of the 76ers’ tandem of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (55.2) – and incomes Doncic’s respect within the course of.

“Simply watching their recreation,” Doncic mentioned. “I feel lots of people can see that. I feel the way in which they play. I do know individuals attempt to separate them however they match collectively, they went to the Finals final 12 months, so I feel these two are actually nice gamers.”

Even after seeing their nine-game profitable streak finish Monday in Chicago towards the Bulls, Boston nonetheless enters Wednesday evening’s recreation with the NBA’s greatest file at 13-4, together with a 6-1 file at TD Backyard.

Boston has seen its success come from its high-powered offense, which sits second behind solely the shocking Kings in offensive effectivity.

Doncic mentioned one more reason for his excessive reward of Boston is that the Celtics have managed to put up the NBA’s greatest file with middle Robert Williams III lacking your complete season to date following September knee surgical procedure.

“They’ve among the best data they usually’re lacking I feel a key man, Williams III,” Doncic mentioned. “I’m impressed by his recreation, have at all times favored his recreation. So with him being out, and them having this file, that is why I mentioned that.”

With 20% of the season within the books, Dallas sits eighth within the Western Convention with a 9-7 file — however simply 1.5 video games out of first, displaying how compact the West standings are this season.

That the Mavericks are 9-7 after dropping Jalen Brunson in free company could be put on the toes of Doncic, who has continued to turn into one of many league’s excellent abilities, and has taken his recreation to one more stage.

“It is lots,” Doncic mentioned of the workload he is taken on this season. “You have to be ready bodily. I feel this summer time helped me. Some video games I am actually drained, as a result of it is a variety of basketball, for 2 years I by no means stopped enjoying basketball, however I am simply blissful to play basketball.”