Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving Pairing Debuts in Dallas Mavericks Loss to Sacramento Kings

After a four-game absence, Luka Doncic made his return to action for the Dallas Mavericks in a Saturday night overtime shootout with the Sacramento Kings, sharing the court with recently acquired guard Kyrie Irving for the first time. Fans got their first taste of the NBA's latest dynamic duo, but it didn't quite go as planned. The pair combined for 55 points but fell to the Kings 133-128 in overtime.

Things we love to see 👇 pic.twitter.com/nGLdnoKL60
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) February 12, 2023

Doncic hit 11 of his 20 field goal attempts for 27 points, nine rebounds, and five assists but demonstrated a little bit of rust, tallying six turnovers. Irving played a cleaner game, hitting 11 of his 21 shots for 28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block with one turnover and five personal fouls.

In theory, Doncic and Irving could be one of the NBA's most overwhelming combos: Doncic's 33.3 points per game rank second in the league, Irving's 26.9 points per game rank ninth, and both sport a true shooting percentage north of .600. No two teammates have combined for more scoring this season, but it remains to be seen how they will actually complement each other. For now, the Mavericks are 31-27 and fourth in the Western Conference. Anything short of a meaningful leap in the standings over the closing stretch of the season would have to be looked at as a disappointment.

The Dallas Mavericks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.