“Going to be hard for J-Kidd… to use Kyrie and Luka together”—the claim by Byron Scott clearly didn’t age well. A significant section of NBA fans would agree that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are arguably the best offensive backcourt in the league presently. Especially now that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are no longer on the same team. Yes, the Mavs did not win the championship, but they had an amazing run through the season. And their recent 113-91 win against the Clippers is nothing but a warning to others. Furthermore, now that even Scott has backtracked on his claims, there is hardly any arguing.

“I’ll be the first to admit that I was wrong because I didn’t see how he [Kyrie] and Luka Doncic would be able to share that basketball,” Scott shared on a recent episode of Scoop B Radio. “But they figured it out. And you gotta give Kyrie a lot of credit… For a man just to say, ‘Listen. I’ll be second fiddle. I’ll be Robin to your Batman…'” 

Scott further highlighted how the ego that NBA players usually have prevents them from making such a sacrifice. The fact ‘Uncle Drew’ did it for the betterment of the Dallas Mavericks has impressed Scott a lot.  

“I coached Kyrie. I know what type of person he is; but for him to be able to do that and have the success that they had, kudos to that man,” he noted.

However, much as Irving’s sacrifice is praise-worthy, a lot of credit for the well-being of the equation between the duo goes to Doncic, too. After the Mavericks’ win against Oklahoma City in last season’s playoffs, El Matador called Irving “amazing” and praised his effort to facilitate for the team.

“He’s amazing. He’s trying to facilitate for everyone, and he’s doing it all on both ends of the floor. We appreciate having him.” Similar praise came for Kai from his Slovenian teammate after the Game 1 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference Finals, where Irving scored 30 points.

“He (Kyrie Irving) got us going. Without him, we would probably be down 20 in halftime. So he had us going. I had to help him in the second half a little bit. So we switched roles this time…” Doncic shared.

Seemingly, this ability to realize when to switch roles is what makes the duo one of the best offensive backcourts. But are they even better than what many believe?

Detroit Pistons’s ex-president highlights Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as best offensive backcourt ever

When Stan Van Gundy declared Doncic and Irving “arguably the best offensive backcourt in the history of the NBA,” it was like dropping a match into a room full of fireworks. The claim, made during the Mavericks’ series against the Timberwolves last season, initiated a chain of opinions through NBA circles.

Let’s face it, the backlash was predictable. And among the first ones in line were Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal with their skepticism. Quickly followed by fans and analysts who couldn’t believe their ears.

Luka and Kyrie? Over who? Curry and Thompson? Isiah and Dumars?

The internet erupted with lists of backcourts deemed superior and reminders of what Luka and Kyrie have yet to achieve together. But hold on—Van Gundy wasn’t crowning them the greatest backcourt of all time. He made it clear he knew there have existed better backcourts than Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

“I’m just talking offensive backcourts,” he explained. The keyword here was offensive.

Still a bold claim, yes, but this, followed by Byron Scott’s recent statements, makes it clear the two players are more than something special.