Mavericks legend gets brutally honest about Doncic-Nowitzki debate amid Finals

Later tonight, the Dallas Mavericks will play their biggest game of the season as they'll try to avoid going down 3-0 against the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Dallas was close to evening the series at one game apiece in Boston on Sunday, but they ended up losing 105-98. The Mavs were knocking on the door for a win, but the struggles of Kyrie Irving and the role players continued, and the Celtics pulled away in the clutch.

Luka Doncic continued his dominance in Game 2 as he dropped a 32-point triple-double and played excellently, but it wasn't enough to get the win. Doncic has been dominating all playoffs long, and one Mavs legend got brutally honest about how Doncic compares to Dirk Nowitzki recently on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back."

J.J. Barea says Dirk Nowitzki is the greatest Maverick ever, not Luka Doncic

J.J. Barea joined Chandler Parsons and company on "Run It Back," and when asked about if Doncic is the greatest Maverick ever, he defended Nowitzki and said that Doncic hasn't passed Nowitzki just yet. This debate was sparked a few weeks ago when Mark Cuban said that Doncic is better than Nowitzki, but Barea doesn't agree.

Barea played with both players for many years, so he has as good of an insight as anyone on this debate that has heated up over the last month or two. Although Doncic arguably had the greatest season any Maverick has ever had this past season, that still may never be enough for him to be the greatest Mav ever in Barea's eyes.

"Dirk Nowitzki is an all-time Mav forever. There's no way," Barea said. "Luka is cut to be the best player in the world forever, and Dirk would still be the (greatest) Maverick of all time."

This quote shows just how much Nowitzki means to the city of Dallas and the Mavericks franchise, and Doncic is going to have to put in a lot of work if he wants to catch his great friend Nowitzki.

Nowitzki brought Dallas their only and only championship, and his value off the floor was even better. He never turns down an autograph, always interacts with fans, and always seems to be involved with different charity work around the metroplex.

Doncic has the chance to inch toward Nowitzki in the greatest Maverick of all time debate if he can win this year's Finals, and the Mavs have been blessed with two phenomenal players on and off the hardwood in Doncic and Nowitzki.

For all the latest on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, stay tuned.