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[Saba Sports News] Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving could be considered one of the best duos in the NBA, but Paul Pierce believes they deserve even higher praise. On Undisputed, Pierce stated that Doncic and Irving are the best offensive duo in NBA history.
“I said this a month ago on this show, this is the best offensive duo—not backcourt—offensive duo in NBA history,” Pierce said. “Kyrie is widely regarded as the most skilled player we’ve ever seen. Luka just led the league in scoring. You’ve got two guys capable of scoring 60 points each… I truly believe this is the best scoring duo ever assembled.”
Pierce noted that Irving and Doncic have averaged 57.4 points per game combined when playing together this season, with only James Harden and Russell Westbrook in 2019 (60.7 points per game) having a higher scoring average in a single season.
Despite their impressive stats, Pierce’s claim may be premature. While Doncic and Irving are great, other duos like Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant-Stephen Curry won multiple titles together, which should count. Kyrie’s inconsistency as a scorer also lowers their ranking. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade might also be ahead of them.
If Doncic and Irving win titles together, they could top the list. They have a chance this year after leading the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals, proving many doubters wrong, including Pierce, who initially claimed they couldn’t work together.
This season, the Mavericks finished 50-32, securing the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game, while Irving averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game.