2024 NBA Finals Preview

The 2024 NBA Finals is all set for June 6th as The Boston Celtics will face The Dallas Mavericks for the NBA title. This matchup is unconventional and unpredictable yes the Celtics are supposed to be in the Finals in the Eastern Conference but who would’ve thought that the Dallas Mavericks would come out of the Western Conference. The consensus NBA Finals matchup probably would have been Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets. But obviously the Nuggets didn’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Either way this matchup between the Celtics and Mavericks should be a dandy. Let’s look at the Celtics who had the league’s best record at 64-18. The dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are hungry for a championship. The Celtics have been red hot in the playoffs going into the Finals having won 7 consecutive games in the playoffs going into the Finals. Obviously Jrue Holiday is a true 2 way player that can play well on the offense as well on the defensive side of the ball.

Al Horford definitely brings forth leadership, size, length, and 3-point shooting. Derrick White has played well in the playoffs due his defensive prowess and 3 point shooting. Obviously The Celtics are truly committed to the 3-pointer for better or for worse. But the Celtics may need Kristaps Porzingis due to his obvious size, length which results in being a rim protector and he provides scoring punch from a offensive standpoint. So the Celtics will be challenged in the paint because Dallas Mavericks Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are bigs that can create havoc in the points in the paint department based on what they did against the vaunted Minnesota Timberwolves defense whether it was easy layups and dunks. This could be a major factor in favor of The Mavericks so keep eye on Luka Doncic playmaking facilitating capability forte running pick and roll.

Meanwhile the storyline of this year’s NBA Finals will be the battle of the dynamic duos on opposite teams like Tatum and Brown vs Irving and Doncic. Obviously Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have been hotter than a firecracker and as a lethal a backcourt in recent memory but they have to close the deal with a NBA championship. They are capable of averaging 30+ points but they will be challenged by the backcourt defensive prowess of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White who were on the Second Team All Defensive Team. But look for Holiday to guard Irving and White guarding Doncic maybe someone with more size may guard Doncic because he is 6-7 and White is 6-4 so Doncic could have an advantage with his crossover dribble and step back 3 point shot.

Despite the Celtics playing in the Eastern Conference Finals 6 times within the past 8 years but still no title to show for the later round success all the pressure is on the Celtics the team with the best record facing a 50-32 regular season team in the Dallas Mavericks who are a overall 5th seed in the Western Conference playoffs definitely has overachieved by a landslide. So the Celtics overall depth and firepower offensively should offset the dynamic backcourt of Irving and Doncic so look for the Celtics defensively be motivated to takeaway the success of the scoring spree of Irving and Doncic and make a PJ Washington beat them.

Overall, this is the Celtics year if they don’t win it this year when will it occur so all the pressure is on the Celtics to capture their 18th championship for the time in 16 years since the trio of Kevin Garnett,Paul Pierce,and Ray Allen was in the Celtic Green and White. The Dallas Mavericks should play loose as a goose without the pressure to pull off the win in the series. If the Mavericks win the championship then it will be the 2nd championship in franchise history. This series should be competitive not a short series but a long run. The Celtics will win the 18th championship in 7 games.