Luka Doncic & Devin Booker Share 'Mutual Respect' Before Mavs-Suns Christmas Day Game
PHOENIX —When discussing a matchup involving the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, the perception of an ongoing rivalry between Luka Doncic and Devin Booker is at the forefront. Both teams are set to compete in part of the NBA's five-game Christmas Day slate on Monday.
The rivalry originated when Doncic led the Mavs to a series win over the Suns in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals, including a significant blowout victory in Game 7 on Phoenix's home floor. After scoring 27 of his 35 points in the first half of the elimination game, Doncic didn't have to stay on the floor until the end of what became a 123-90 victory. The series included
When Doncic and Booker compete, they frequently talk trash with each other in ways that have been well-documented. During that 2022 playoff series, a famous line from the Suns superstar included him staying on the ground after a foul, describing it as "the Luka special." Doncic responded when asked about it at the time, "I don't care."
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When walking off the floor after a 30-point loss in Game 5, Doncic was recorded leaving the floor saying, "Everybody acts tough when they're up," about the Suns.
“When you're up, everybody is trying to talk,” Doncic said before Game 6. “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.”
After the Suns pulled off a narrow road win over the Mavs on March 6 last season with Doncic and Booker having their new superstar teammates, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Booker admitted there being "smoke" between him and Doncic. The comment came after the two players went at it again late in the 130-126 victory for Phoenix.
“You guys say you don't want everybody to be friendly-friendly,” Booker said in March. “There you go. We got some smoke."
Doncic, who told Booker to "shut the f*** up" during the bench-clearing incident, chalked it up to it simply being a competitive situation, but he didn't finish before he took a jab at Booker, stating it's best to talk when the team isn't essentially over.
“It’s fine, just a competitive game, man,” Doncic said in March. “It’s all good. Next time, don’t wait until it’s three seconds left to talk.”
As the Mavs and Suns are set to face off again on Monday, Doncic and Booker facing off naturally is the focus again.
During a recent interview with ESPN to promote the game, Doncic mentioned the on-court encounters between him and Booker could be simplified to just the nature of how "competitive basketball" goes rather than there being an issue. The Slovenian superstar shared that he watches the Suns in his spare time.
"It's competitive basketball," Doncic told ESPN. "I really love his game, the way he plays. A lot of times, I watch Phoenix, actually, because of him. He's a really, really great player. But obviously, we have this competition whenever we face each other."
Doncic shared his strong respect for the impact Booker provides the Suns, along with the style in which he does it. Booker, who has spent more time playing point guard this season after Phoenix traded Chris Paul, has drawn admiration from Doncic regarding how he continues to grow his game.
"I respect him a lot," Doncic said of Booker. "Like I said, I love his game. I love the pace of his game. He now has a new role as point guard, so I think he's becoming really good."
Booker recently described the conversation surrounding him and Doncic as an indictment of what social media tends to do with moments during games, describing it as "clickbait" with the goal of manufacturing drama.
"I think that's just another moment that proves what social media is about and how people try to stir drama and look for anything [to use for] clickbait," Booker said. "Me and Luka's respect for each other has been mutual and at a high level since he came into the league.
"Obviously, a playoff series gets super competitive, as every game does, but the world just takes it and runs with it, and that's fine," Booker explained. "It's good for the game, good for traction, good for views, but there's no problem amongst each other," Booker explained. "We just compete at the highest level."
Doncic has averaged 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 18 games in the regular season and playoffs versus Booker in his career. With various important Mavs players on the injury report before Monday's matchup, Doncic will surely be needed to have another dynamic performance.
