Can Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving be the cornerstones of a title contender?

Dallas Mavericks need to concentrate on defense around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving

Luka is a subpar defender made worse by his refusal to get back in transition. The 24-year-old superstar is often seen arguing for a foul on the other end as opposed to trying to stop a fast break. Teams will bring Doncic into the action plenty as he struggles to defend on the ball, and he loses focus at times allowing his man to get an easy bucket or offensive rebound.

Irving has never been a lockdown defender. The 6’2 guard is a bit undersized and his effort fluctuates on the defensive end of the floor. The opposition will pick on Kyrie too.

The Mavs are starting their build with two below-average defenders, so the focus has to be on finding players that can cover up their weakness. Through 336 minutes on the floor together, Dallas has a 113.7 defensive rating with Doncic and Irving on the floor, which would be tied for 16th in the NBA this season with the Brooklyn Nets.

The Dallas Mavericks traded their best perimeter defender to land Kyrie, and they do not have the right personnel to be a top-ten defensive team, which is the hallmark of a title contender. The Mavs must improve their perimeter defense and rim protection if they have any hope of building a title contender around their two current superstars, and they must get better on the boards.