Is there beef between Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis?

Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals will tip off on Thursday evening, the start of what looks set to be a fascinating series between the imperious Boston Celtics and the exuberant Dallas Mavericks.

Anticipation for the seven-game series could hardly be higher, but talk of a simmering beef between former teammates has created another potential storyline to watch out for.

Earlier this week former Dallas Mavericks player Chandler Parsons appeared on FanDuel’s ‘Run It Back’ and claimed that there was “actual beef” between Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis during their time together at the Mavs.

“Don’t get it twisted, they do not like [Kristaps] Porzingis in Dallas,” Parsons said. “Luka [Doncic] did not like playing with him, there is an actual beef there where it’s going to be every time he touches the ball, he’s getting booed.”

However Doncic has sought to play down those claims, insisting that he has no problem with the big Latvian. Ahead of Game 1 Doncic was asked for his take on Parsons’ claims.

“You see, that’s why I don’t watch a lot of that because people don’t know,” Doncic said of ‘Run It Back’. “I’ve talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don’t know how he would know that. Me and KP have a good relationship. I don’t know why people say otherwise.”

What has Kristaps Porzingis said about Luka Doncic?

However while the Dallas star has dismissed the claims, Porzingis admitted that the two players didn’t always get on. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday he said of his relationship with Doncic: “It didn’t work out. I’m not even thinking about that right now. I’m thinking about the job ahead. We can think about that later.”

Porzingis spent three years with the Mavs from 2019-2022, the years when Doncic was rising to become of the league’s most effective offensive players. However for Porzingis the period in Dallas was not so successful, plagued by injuries and underperformance in the postseason.

Porzingis is expected to return from his latest injury in time to feature for the Celtics this series. He picked up a calf strain during Game 4 of the first round playoff against the Miami Heat in April and has not appeared since. Ahead of the NBA Finals, however, Porzingis has been back on the court in scrimmages and could play a key role in the series against his former team.