James Harden had a matchup with Luka Doncic on Saturday night and he came away even more impressed with the Mavs star, telling reporters that he sees “some similarities” between him and Doncic.
“There are some similarities. He never lets anyone speed him up, and he gets what he wants. That’s rare for a guy at a young age. I think he’s 21 years old. And to be able to dictate the game and control the game like he does, we all know he has a very, very bright future. The Mavs got a special one.” Harden explained postgame (via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com).
Dallas beat the Nets on Saturday night behind Doncic, who turned 22 on Sunday. Doncic had 27 points, six rebounds, and seven assists on his birthday eve contest.
“Harden has been in a situation the last few years where the offense has really revolved around him. With our team, it does around Luka similarly, but our style is a little different than Houston and Brooklyn. Both of these guys are generational-type players,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.
