Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving make a dynamic duo for the Dallas Mavericks as they gear up for their NBA playoff debut against the Los Angeles Clippers.

LOS ANGELES — On Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks will face the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. This will mark the postseason debut of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as a backcourt.

With a team defense that’s found a significant stride, the Mavericks have formulated a configuration that’s led to an 18-9 record since the NBA All-Star break, including a 16-2 stretch to clinch a top-five seed that involved the league’s best defensive rating.

The Mavericks turned it up to achieve a 50-win season while emphatically answering any remaining questions from observers who may not have regularly observed Doncic and Irving operate next to each other throughout the season. There was a high degree of confidence in the pairing since the start despite going 5-11 with both superstars last season. In the 1,297 minutes they shared the floor this season, Dallas has outscored opponents by an impressive 10.5 points per 100 possessions while posting a 36-16 record in 51 games.