"Luka owns him when it matters": Mavericks fans salty in defeat as Devin Booker drops 46 points

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns handed Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks a 132-109 defeat on Wednesday night. Booker dropped 46 points at the American Airlines Center, pipping Doncic's 34, leaving Dallas fans salty. With the rivalry between the two guards ignited ahead of the marquee matchup, it was the 3x NBA All-Star who had the better of the Slovenian. His efforts saw the Suns extend their winning streak to six games, improve to 26-18 and sit in sixth place in the West.

Mavericks fans were undoubtedly frustrated but remained firm in their support of Doncic, saying the latter would own Booker when it mattered:

Booker fans were quick to chime in as back-and-forth shots were fired in the comments:

Mavericks fans came out in support of Luka Doncic, and Devin Booker fans weren't far behind

Booker added seven rebounds and three assists to his mammoth scoring evening. He was ably assisted by Bradley Beal (20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists), and Grayson Allen (15 points). Kevin Durant had an off day with just 12 points, but Devin Booker turned on the jets shooting 17-of-23 from the field and 6-of-10 from 3-point land.

Dallas was without Kyrie Irving who was ruled out of the matchup with a sprained thumb. Doncic led Dallas with 34 points coupled with eight rebounds and nine assists.

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Luka Doncic and Devin Booker headline 'Rivalry Week' with the latter winning this time around

The rivalry between both superstars ignited when Devin Booker and Luka Doncic squared off in the 2022 Western Conference semi-finals. Both guards, known for their chirpy barbs took each other on and Doncic's team had the last laugh.

Since then, each time the guards dueled, the matchup became a talking point with the two future Hall of Famers in the spotlight. Since then, the opening night matchup further fueled the rivalry and extended to their Christmas Day skirmish.

Rewind to the 2022 playoffs, and the Mavericks were chasing a deeper run in the playoffs. After each team took care of home court in Games 1 through 4, the action shifted to Phoenix for a crucial Game 5. During a 30-point blowout win, Booker took a shot at Doncic, laying on the floor after a foul and calling it "The Luka Special."

This irked the competitive guard who bounced back with resounding wins in Game 6 and 7. The final game saw the Suns embarrassed as Dallas notched up a 57-27 lead, and dished out an angelic-yet-taunting smile at Booker that sparked a memefest since.

There's no denying that Devin Booker and Luka Doncic are two of the best guards in the modern-day league, and their rivalry just adds to the fact that they are immensely competitive. The two sides will meet again on Feb. 22, and expect Doncic to prepare for payback.