Two of the biggest rivals in the NBA met on Sunday afternoon as the new-look Phoenix Suns faced off against the Dallas Mavericks.
For more than a season, there hasn’t been any love lost between these two teams.
It all came to a head last postseason when the Mavericks shocked Phoenix and the rest of the NBA world when they took them down in the Western Conference semifinals.
On Sunday, Luka Doncic and Devin Booker took things to a new level when they got into each others’ faces at the end of the game, chirping at one another before being pulled apart by teammates.
After the game, Booker spoke openly about his moment with Doncic, saying, “I have no problem with Luka on or off the court but when we’re competing, we’re competing.”
Devin Booker on Luka Doncic: "It’s just two competitors going at it. Like I just said, everybody speaks on how friendly the NBA is now and don’t like that and I have no problem with Luka on or off the court but when we're competing, we're competing." pic.twitter.com/BlTvupFNWj
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) March 6, 2023
Booker said that the back-and-forth between the two was just “two competitors going at it,” but it definitely looked personal to the fans watching the game.
That’s not surprising because they are leading two of the most competitive teams in the conference.
They are also two teams trying to rise much higher in the rankings over the next few weeks.
The Mavericks, who recently acquired Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets, are the seventh seed with a 33-32 record.
As for the Suns, they are fourth with 36-29 and just added Kevin Durant to their roster.
Both teams could move toward the top of the Western Conference because of these major additions.
All of this means that they could face off again in the playoffs in just a couple of months.
Therefore, fans can expect more fireworks in the future.
NEXT: Rival Coach Pays Phoenix Suns A Major Compliment
