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The Boston Celtics are set to take on the upstart Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

When the two squads take the court it will be a battle of two Most Valuable Player hopefuls. Jayson Tatum certainly has cemented his name in the conversation for the NBA's biggest award with his play so far this season for the Celtics. Dallas star guard Luka Doncic has done the same for the Mavericks and when the regular season comes to a close, the award very well could be won by either of these two stars.

Before Wednesday's showdown, the young Mavericks dynamo had some extremely high praise for the Celtics and their dynamic duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

"They're probably the No. 1 team in the league, and they probably have the best duo in the league, too," Doncic said to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. "And we're in the (TD 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.

"Just watching their game. I think a lot of people can see that. I think the way they play. I know people try to separate them but they fit together, they went to the Finals last year, so I think those two are great players."

Doncic has been somewhat of a thorn in the Celtics' side so far throughout his career. In seven career games against Boston, the young Mavericks guard has averaged 27.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game to go along with a few heartbreaking game-winners. 

The Celtics will look to get back in the win column Wednesday night at TD Garden against the Mavericks with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. 

Further Reading

Celtics Fans will Absolutely Love What Jayson Tatum Said About Playing in Boston

Here's Three Prop Bets to Consider Ahead of Celtics-Mavericks Tilt

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Bulls: Lack of Energy and Defensive Resistance Doom Boston as Nine-Game Win Streak Ends

The Top 5 Plays from Friday's Celtics-Pelicans Game

1:1 with Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Derek Ochiai, on Robert Williams' Knee Procedures, Recovery, and Long-Term Outlook

Red-Hot Celtics Second Unit has Perfect Mindset That's Clearly Showing

Brandy Cole-Barnes Reveals When she Knew Son Jayson Tatum Would be a Star