The Dallas Mavericks won't resume regular season action until Thursday during the NBA's All-Star hiatus, but their representation at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis over the weekend was not underestimated.
Dallas Mavericks rookie center Derek Lively II was part of the winning team in the Panini Rising Stars Challenge last Friday night, scoring six points for Team Jaylen in just a few minutes of playing time. did. Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic made his fifth All-Star appearance and started the Western Conference All-Star Game over the weekend, but Doncic still missed Sunday night's All-Star Game in Indianapolis. , I chose to take my usual casual approach. He's having an MVP-caliber season.
Neither Lively II nor Doncic played in any high-stakes games over the weekend, and some Mavs fans were relieved that they had a relaxing weekend, considering both players were dealing with minor injuries leading up to the All-Star break. right. However, there has certainly been an outcry from the national media both this season and in past seasons to make the NBA All-Star festivities more competitive, which is why the games and festivities have been replaced by the actual activities of his NBA All-Star weekend. It is rarely the center of
There have been instances in previous seasons of superstar players jointly predicting future “play plans” during All-Star Weekend, but most notably, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did so in the summer of 2019. There were early discussions about the possibility of teaming up with the Brooklyn Nets. 2019 All-Star Weekend.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has often been spotted with fellow Balkan and NBA champion Nikola Jokic in Indianapolis over the weekend, and the two European superstars have been together a lot over the past few All-Star weekends. We have spent time together.
Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are legit best friends 😂
(via @Sportsthon)pic.twitter.com/yeBd7yXhYo
— Clutch Points (@ClutchPoints) February 19, 2024
Jokic even jokingly talked about how bad Doncic was at the All-Star Game in his postgame interview, and it's clear the two players have developed a decent friendship over the past few seasons. Like the Irving-Durant game in 2019, nothing was more definitive than a soundbite of Doncic and Jokic talking about playing together in the future, but the amount of time the two spent together over the weekend It was remarkable to say the least.
“Luke [Doncic] It's awful. Luka is really bad at this game. He's worse than me. It's 100%. ”
—Nikola Jokic 😂
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/ZDWLJDOsqT
— Clutch Points (@ClutchPoints) February 19, 2024
It seems unlikely that Doncic and Jokic will team up given the loyalty they have shown to their respective franchises, but if they do end up on the same team, this tandem is a sure bet. It's going to tear the league apart.
It's even more unclear whether the Jokic-Doncic duo will end up in Dallas, Denver, or perhaps elsewhere. But with Kyrie Irving likely retiring much earlier than Doncic, the relationship the two have developed cannot be taken for granted when planning Doncic's future running mate.
We will keep you updated on details about Luka Doncic and rumors regarding the Dallas Mavericks, so please look forward to it.
