NBA Abu Dhabi Games: Dallas coach assures fans they will see Doncic and Irving in tandem

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has promised UAE basketball fans will get to witness his team’s star duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on court together during next week’s NBA Abu Dhabi Games.

The NBA returns to the capital for a second straight season, as part of the organisation’s multi-year deal with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and will see the Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 5 and 7 at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena.

Irving was traded from Brooklyn to Dallas in February and got to play just 16 games alongside Doncic last season as the Mavericks failed to make the play-offs – and the play-in tournament altogether – by finishing 11th in the Western Conference.

The Mavericks re-signed Irving to a three-year deal over the summer and expectations are high for the eight-time All-Star point guard and his on-court partnership with Doncic.

While the star pairing did not have time to build chemistry last season, Kidd is confident things will be different this campaign, and fans in Abu Dhabi will get an early taste of what this Dallas team will look like for 2023/24.

“We didn’t, as a team, finish the way we wanted to [last season],” Kidd said during a Zoom call on Thursday ahead of the team’s upcoming trip to the Emirates.

“But this being a new season and being able to start in Abu Dhabi, when you see them [Irving and Doncic] play on the floor that they do co-exist and that we’re going to play at a high level and we’re excited.

“Being able to have training camp, to have a full year together, their relationship is only going to get stronger.

“I will tell you that we will play both of those guys, so from there we’ll see what happens. We’re not going to play them 48