ALLAS, TX - MARCH 5: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball as Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns defends in the first half of the game at American Airlines Center on March 5, 2023 in Dallas, Texas.
The National Basketball Association could use some intense individual rivalries.
The league has seen some in its long history although they are of different nature. There was Bill Russell vs Wilt Chamberlain on the best center of their prime years, Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird in collecting NBA titles, and Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan as the most skilled big man of 2000s.
There is also a rivalry between individuals on a personal level. Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley did not like each other before they became Lakers teammates. The same goes for the rivalry between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas in the 90s.
There's not much of these in the league today but Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns are creating one as we speak.
They're not yet there on the level of Russell vs Chamberlain, neither of Johnson vs Larry Bird careers but they could get there if they use their hatred of each other since they could meet in the Western Conference post-season.
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The two franchise players' meetings are compelling to watch because of their similarity to that of Westbrook vs Beverley because they don't like each other and that of MJ vs Thomas because they are superstars in their rights.
Those who are having withdrawals on the back and forth between Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden will find Luka Doncic vs Devin Booker as a good remedy.
The two's basketball beef has the making of an iconic rivalry, a much-needed one in the league today.
How did it start
The rivalry between Doncic and Booker, which opened a new chapter on Christmas Day, started in the 2022 playoffs.
The Mavs and Suns met in the second round of the 2002 playoffs and it was a heated one. The Suns, who reached the NBA finals the season before, had the home court advantage but they found the Luka-led team a tough grind.
There were trashtalks on and off the court. Booker converted an And-1 and celebrated by shouting "that's Luka special".
Things got even more heated in Game 5 which the Mavs lost. The Suns were obviously trying to annoy Luka in the game and celebrated in front of the Mavs bench.
The hype for the next game was off the roof as it transfers to Dallas. The Mavs superstar sprinkled more spice on the verbal feud by saying pre-game:
"When you're up, everybody is trying to talk," Doncic.
"A lot of guys who played there the last time, the last couple of minutes, after every shot, they looked at our bench. It was funny."
For his part, Booker said their moment is just something he gifted to the fans and who media who want such on-court battle.
He backed up his words by leading his team to a dominant Game 6 victory, 113-86. He led the team in points, rebounds, and assists in that game.
Game 7 was at the Footprint Center in Arizona and that was supposed to be a homecourt advantage for Booker and company. However, Doncic just wiped the floor of the Phoenix Suns court with the dejected faces of their hosts as they won 123-90.
Mavs won but the rivalry between Luka Doncic and Devin Booker did not end there.
The two teams met again on March this year, a few weeks before the playoffs and their feud went another level.
They went face to face with each other after exchanging some words that some teammates had to intervene before someone gets ejected. The Suns won the close match, giving them their much awaited revenge.
Luka Doncic and Devin Booker going at it 👀pic.twitter.com/v0UKUZSHwg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 5, 2023
"You guys say you don't want everybody to be friendly-friendly," Booker said when asked about the row between him and Doncic.
"There you go. We got some smoke."
What makes Luka Doncic vs Devin Booker a good rivalry
Beverley vs Westbrook is a notch lower than this rivalry. That is because both Doncic and Booker are franchise players. It is much more like the time when Jordan and Thomas were feuding with each other.
Both shooting guards have established their names already when they started bad-mouthing each other.
Booker already has three All-Star appearances and one All-NBA First-Team citation while Luka got four All-Star and four First Team.
Their rivalry makes the league better and the chances of it getting more intense is high.
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