The NBA Finals are set.
With the Dallas Mavericks' 124-103 blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, the Mavs have punched their ticket to Boston to take on the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics next Thursday.
There will now be a week-long break between the conclusion of the Conference Finals and Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Boston will enter Game 1 coming off nine days of rest, while Dallas will have six.
"Between now and June 6, we have to take every experience that we've been through -- make sure we take advantage of it and utilize it to put ourselves in the best position to win," Joe Mazzulla said on Thursday. "Time could be good, it could be bad – everything goes into how you use it, how you weaponize it. So, we're weaponizing our time right now."
Boston was 2-0 against Dallas this season.
In their first meeting in late January, the Celtics, despite being without Kristaps Porzingis and playing their third game in four nights on the second night of a back-to-back, won 119-110. Jayson Tatum (39 points) and Jaylen Brown (34 points) combined for 73 points on 24-of-43 (55.8%) shooting, 14 rebounds, nine assists, and—most impressively—zero turnovers, becoming the first teammates in NBA history to each log at least 30 points, two blocks, and zero turnovers in the same game.
In their second meeting in March, the Celtics trailed for only 37 seconds in a 138-110 win. Led by Luka Doncic, who finished the night with a 37-point, 12-rebound, and 11-assist triple-double, Dallas kept things close for most of the night before the Celtics closed the game on a 57-31 run. Over a nearly 18-minute stretch, the Celtics held the visitors to 12-of-31 (38.7%) shooting from the field and 0-of-8 from deep. For context, Boston's starters alone shot 11-of-19 (57.8%) over that stretch despite sitting the final 3:55 of the game.
The Celtics finished with 14 more wins than the Mavericks in the regular season, marking the largest win discrepancy from the regular season since the 2017 Finals, when Golden State had 16 more wins than Cleveland and won in five games.
As a 5-seed, the Mavericks are just the fifth team in NBA history to reach the Finals as a 5-seed or lower. Teams seeded this low are 1-3 in the Finals, with only the 6-seeded 1995 Houston Rockets winning it all.
"I think every series has helped us for the next series," Jason Kidd said after winning the Western Conference. "[Boston] has a lot of talented players. They've been there before. They have the experience. They are well-coached, so this is another great test."
Dallas isn't your typical five-seed. The talent upgrades at the deadline, bringing in P.J. Washington from Charlotte and Daniel Gafford from Washington, have changed the dynamic of this team. The continued development of rookie Dereck Lively from Duke makes them all that more formidable.
The Mavs went 21-9 after the deadline, the third-best record in the NBA in that span. Dallas finished the regular season 16-4.
Here are five thoughts ahead of what should be a very entertaining NBA Finals matchup.
Welcome home, Kyrie
As Kyrie Irving stepped onto the court for pregame warm-ups at TD Garden in March, the crowd erupted in a chorus of boos, a familiar reception for the ex-Celtic. The boos subsided briefly but intensified again during player introductions when Irving's name was called.
From that moment on, every time Irving touched the ball, boos echoed throughout the arena. Several times, chants of "Kyrie sucks" rained down from the rafters.
The acrimonious split between Irving and the Celtics has been well-documented. Five and a half years since the split, Irving is still persona non grata, and now, he stands in the way of the Celtics and their ultimate goal.
The image of Irving scuffing his shoes on Lucky the Leprechaun at midcourt after eliminating the Celtics in the First Round remains etched in fans' memories. Since that infamous moment, Irving has yet to notch a victory against the Celtics, holding an 0-10 record.
"A lot of the attention is on me, in terms of just the fandom," Irving said after Dallas' loss in Boston in March. "It's been six years. You gotta love it. But rightfully so. They have a right to boo. From my career record against them, in the last few games, I haven't won. Until I beat them, they have all the right to continue to boo. I think that's what makes the theatrics of sports and competitive sports fun. Just gotta embrace it. It's part of it."
This matchup doesn't lack headlines, and Irving's return will be front and center.
In a city that has seen its fair share of sports villains, Irving is arguably at the top of the list in recent memory. Now, the Celtics have a chance to get their revenge and accomplish the goal that Irving held them back from in his miserable two seasons in Boston.
Irving isn't the only player facing his former team.
Kristaps Porzingis spent two and a half seasons in Dallas, and, like Irving in Boston, things didn't go as expected. The tandem of he and Luka Doncic didn't become the dominant duo they intended to be, and it ended with Porzingis being traded to the Washington Wizards midway through the 2022 season. The two never won a playoff series.
Battle of the backcourts
The NBA Finals features the two best backcourts in the league – Derrick White and Jrue Holiday vs. Luka Donic and Kyrie Irving.
In NBA discussions, there's been debate about whether Doncic and Irving constitute the most potent scoring backcourt in league history. On the other hand, it's widely acknowledged that Boston possesses the best defensive backcourt, with both White and Holiday earning Second-Team All-Defensive nods, setting the stage for an exciting battle.
Against Boston this season, Doncic averaged 35.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 12.0 assists. The five-time All-NBA selection notched a triple-double in both matchups against Boston. Irving averaged 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Doncic and Irving combined for 112 of Dallas' 220 points against the Celtics this season (50.9%). The tandem scored or assisted on a ridiculous 73 of the Maverick's 90 makes (81.1%).
Slowing down this potent backcourt will be critical, and the Celtics have the horses to do it. Another player to watch when it comes to slowing down the Dallas duo is Jaylen Brown. Earlier this season, Brown took on the responsibility of guarding Doncic and held him to 4-of-10 (40%) shooting.
The return of Kristaps Porzingis, of course
The Celtics have had little trouble taking care of business while Porzingis has been sidelined with a calf injury, posting a 10-1 record in the over one-month span the big man has been sidelined.
"He's gotten better each day, I know he's working hard," Mazzulla said on Porzingis Thursday. "He's progressing well, and he's working really hard to get back."
Mazzulla also mentioned that Porzingis hasn't faced any setbacks, echoing the positive tone of Porzingis' recent tweet indicating his upcoming return to action.
All year, folks have stated that the Celtics can't accomplish their ultimate goal without Porzingis. Even Jayson Tatum admitted it after Game 3 against the Heat.
"[He is] probably the most important guy on our team for what we're trying to accomplish," Tatum said. "When he's protecting the rim, contesting shots, we're a whole different team."
In Games 3 and 4 against the Pacers, the Celtics missed Porzingis, especially his presence in protecting the rim. Now, as they gear up to face Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively, the Celtics will need Porzingis.
While Al Horford has done an admirable job, he turns 38 on Saturday and will have his hands full with this Dallas frontcourt, especially with the increased production of Derrick Jones Jr and P.J. Washington.
Porzingis's 7-foot-2 frame provides Boston with the rim protection it needs, and on the offensive end, his ability to score from all three levels, set screens, stretch the floor, and generate inside touches around the nail causes nightmares for opponents.
The Celtics acquired Porzingis to be the difference-maker and get them over the hump. While the Celtics could still likely beat Dallas without Porzingis, the reassertion of the big man into the lineup will work wonders for Boston.
Dialing 'em up from deep
The Celtics attempted a whopping 47.2% of their shots from three-point range this season. Right behind them was the Mavericks, who hoisted 44.1% of their attempts from deep. Boston averaged a league-high 42.5 three-point attempts per game, knocking a league-best 16.5 per game.
Meanwhile, Dallas wasn't far behind in three-point shooting volume, attempting 39.5 threes per game, the second-highest in the league, and making 14.6, the third-most.
This has translated to the postseason. The Celtics are attempting 39.8 triples per game, converting 14.6, both league-highs. Dallas' numbers have trickled down a bit, attempting 33.9 (5th-most) per game and converting on 12.6 (third-most).
The significance of three-point shooting for the Celtics becomes apparent when looking at their postseason record. They remain undefeated at 11-0 when they make more threes than their opponents in the playoffs. Including the regular season, the Celtics are 65-7 in such games.
When making fewer threes than their opponents, they hold an 11-13 record.
Boston is going to jack them up. The Celtics have shot over 40 threes in seven of their 10 games this postseason. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have hit that number just once in their 17 games. Expect that to change in the Finals as they look to keep up with the Celtics.
Breaking through
Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic are two luminaries in the NBA, embodying the league's future. One of them will get their first championship, potentially altering the trajectory of their careers in the process.
For Tatum, capturing Banner 18 would further cement his legacy as a Celtic, one that's quickly his number 0 jersey hanging in the rafters above the TD Garden parquet, and on this stage, against this player, would further enhance his case as the next face of the NBA.
Throughout his tenure with the Celtics, Tatum has teetered on the brink of greatness, leading his team to the Eastern Conference Finals on five separate occasions within seven seasons. Now, as he embarks on his second NBA Finals appearance, the stakes have never been higher.
This season presents Tatum with his best shot yet at glory. He's been part of talented teams before, but this year's squad is special. Now, with the spotlight on him, the Celtics will need him to shine brightest on the grandest stage.
