The future of the NBA was on full display in Boston on Wednesday night, as Luka Doncic and the Mavericks took on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics.
With Doncic and Tatum firmly in the top tier of MVP candidates this season, the showdown between the two young stars did not disappoint. Doncic totaled 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, but the Mavs fell by a final score of 125-112.
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On the other side, the Celtics were firing on all cylinders. Tatum filled up the stat sheet with 37 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, while Brown was right there with him, adding 31 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Luka Doncic dropped 42 PTS in his battle with Jayson Tatum tonight:
— NBA (@NBA) November 24, 2022
🔥 @luka7doncic: 42 PTS (17/28 FGM), 8 REB, 9 AST pic.twitter.com/MRUgcvAHiU
Jayson Tatum led the @celtics to the pre-Thanksgiving Day victory with a 37-point double-double!
— NBA (@NBA) November 24, 2022
☘ @jaytatum0: 37 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/HVVluzvDCb
Ahead of the contest at TD Garden, Doncic offered special praise for the Celtics pair, calling Tatum and Brown the best duo in the NBA.
"They're probably the No. 1 team in the league, and they probably have the best duo in the league, too," Doncic said, per ESPN. "And we're in the Garden — it's always a special game. You have to come 100 percent. If you're not, you're probably going to lose. It's a big game."
Tatum and Brown combined for a whopping 68 of the Celtics' 125 points, accounting for over half of their offensive output. That has been a regular sight this season, as Tatum and Brown are two of the top 15 scorers in the league.
"I know people try to separate them, but they fit together," Doncic said. "They went to the Finals last year, so I think those two are really great players."
With his running mate from last season, Jalen Brunson, now wearing a Knicks uniform, Doncic has again been tasked this season with carrying the Mavericks' offense.
"It's a lot," Doncic said of being the main source of offense. "You've got to be prepared physically. I think this summer helped me. Some games I'm really tired, because it's a lot of basketball, for two years I never stopped playing basketball, but I'm just happy to play basketball."
