Marcus Smart praises Mavericks' duo of Doncic and Irving

Before the game with the Dallas Mavericks, Grizzlies’ veteran Marcus Smart talked with Joey Mistretta from ClutchPoints , about the Mavericks’ lethal duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Smart is familiar with Irving, as he has played in the NBA since the 2014-15 season, and shared a locker room with the Mavericks’ guard.

Smart reflects on Irving’s impact in Dallas

“I thought it was great. I mean coming to Dallas nobody was expecting them to do what they did in the fashion that they did it. That shows a lot. Kai (Irving) came in and was a part of that process to get them there. Obviously you got Luka and those other guys, but to have Kai there is just a big advantage for them to help them get over that hump and get them to the next level. And that's what they did… They didn't win (a championship), but they got there. They figured out what it takes,” Smart addressed Irving’s first season with the Mavericks.

Mavericks’ fans should be excited about Smart’s comments, as he believes they “figured out what it takes”. Even though they didn’t win in the NBA Finals last year, against Smart’s former team the Boston Celtics, he seems pretty confident they can repeat the same run.

Luka Doncic’s progression continues to impress Smart

Smart, who had a chance to play against Doncic before he got to the NBA, also commented on him coming to the league, and surprising everyone. “Oh man, just the way he's came and demanded the league. I actually had the opportunity to play against Luka when he was 16. We went to Milan and he was on the Milan team. You know, at the time, you see him, he's a 16-year-old kid. Doesn't look how he looks now. You see him now, it's like that's not the same 16-year-old kid. But Luka is a great player, we all know that. We all know what he has been doing and can do in this league. His progression… He's taking even bigger steps,” he said.

When Irving first joined the Mavericks, they had a rough start. But, in their first full season together, Kyrie and Luka seem to have figured out how to complement each other. The Dallas Mavericks haven’t been this good in a while, and if they can build on it they will probably be even better soon. And, let’s not forget - they just added Klay Thompson.

Related: Interview: Marcus Smart's insights on Zach Edey and Ja Morant