It's time to preview the 2024 NBA Finals, as we look ahead to the series between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.
We've reached the most important point of the season, and while that means basketball is almost over, it also means we'll get to watch the best players on the planet go toe-to-toe, and one star is about to get his first ring.
On the one hand, we have a very great team in the Boston Celtics, which has been the favorite to win the entire title for months.
On the other hand, we have a rising team that has come a long way since the All-Star break, led by the best player in the game. With that in mind, we're sharing our 2024 NBA Finals preview.
NBA Finals: How the teams stack up
The Boston Celtics are the most stacked team in the league and it's not even close. The NBA Finals schedule allowed them to get Kristaps Porzingis back to full strength, as he had more than five weeks to recover from the calf injury he suffered in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Miami Heat.
Trading for Jrue Holiday was also a game-changer for Joe Mazzola's team, as they now have one of the best defenders in the league, all while being a better scorer and facilitator than Marcus Smart.
Moreover, these men are battle tested. They've only been here for two seasons, and now they know what it's like to play under the bright lights.
The Celtics were dominant on their way to the NBA Finals, needing only five games to get past both the Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers before sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, so they're fresher and more rested heading into this series.
However, the Mavericks have a better pace, and that comes after overcoming some elite competition on their way here. And while the Celtics faced injury-ravaged teams without Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Tyrese Haliburton, the Mavericks emerged after wins over the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, so they will be. The first and only tough opponent the Celtics have to face in this postseason run.
Also, the practice game could be in the Mavericks' favor here. While Mazzulla proved to be a great strategist in terms of game planning, he wasn't as good when he had to make in-game adjustments.
The Mavericks have one of the greatest point guards in NBA history drawing Xs and Os, and Jason Kidd has made huge strides as a tactician, replicating his unparalleled ability to pick off opposing defenses in real time.
NBA Finals Predictions
We also can't ignore the fact that the Mavericks have the best player in the franchise, and one could argue that they have the best players. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are known to be clutch and take charge when it matters most, the absolute opposite of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics have the deepest roster, and are one of the few teams that can play defensively with the Mavericks. However, who will take Kairi and who will take Luka?
Holiday is an elite goalkeeper, but Luka can make him stronger; It's much bigger than him. The same goes for Derrick White, so it will likely be up to Brown and Tatum to step up and get the job done on both ends of the floor.
One thing is certain: this series will go a long way and it will take at least six games to determine the champion. If we had to pick a winner, we'd have to pick the Mavs here.
