After over a week of rest, the NBA final is finally here, with the Boston Celtics chasing a record setting 18th title. Beantown has endured a lengthy 16-year wait for this moment, with the bitter memory of the 2022 finals loss to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors still fresh in their minds. Standing in their way are the Dallas Mavericks, led by one of the greatest offensive weapons in the history of basketball, Luka Dončić. It’s a first final appearance for Dončić and a second for the Mavericks franchise, but make no mistake, they consider themselves worthy finalists.
The journey to the finals for these two teams couldn’t be more different. The Boston Celtics have been on the brink of a championship for over half a decade, making an impressive 5 Eastern Conference final appearances in the last 8 seasons. However, the bitter taste of last season’s Game 7 defeat to the Miami Heat in the ECF prompted significant roster changes. Former fan favourites such as Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and reigning 6th Man of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon, were bid farewell. In their place, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday were brought in, sparking a resurgence for the Celtics reminiscent of their glory days in 2008 when they last hoisted the championship trophy. With a league-best record of 64-18 and only 4 losses at home, the Celtics have been in peak form. Although they’ve benefited from some injury luck in the playoffs, with key opponents like Jimmy Butler (Heat), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), and Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) sidelined, their dominance was widely expected from the season’s outset. It’s no surprise to see them make it to the finals once again. For the Mavericks, their final appearance is a surprise. Last season, they made a deliberate decision to miss out on the playoffs in order to keep their draft pick, a move that incurred fines from the NBA. The start of this season inspired little confidence either, with the team experiencing average performances, and a second-round playoff appearance seemed like the best-case scenario for their fans. However, their fortunes took a turn on deadline day with the acquisitions of P.J. Washington (Hornets) and Daniel Gafford (Wizards). While not the most high-profile names on the market, they proved to be ideal complementary pieces for Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks finished the regular season on a strong run, boasting a 16-4 record in their last 20 games and posting the best defensive rating during that stretch. Should they clinch the title, their 50-32 regular season record would mark the lowest win total for an NBA champion in the past 20 seasons, proving that it isn’t about how well you start, but how well you finish.
**Playoff Record** Boston Celtics (12-2): 4-1 vs. Heat , 4-1 vs. Cavaliers, and 4-0 vs.Pacers. Dallas Mavericks (12-5): 4-2 vs. Clippers, 4-2 vs. Thunder, and 4-1 vs. Timberwolves. **Regular Season Meetings** The Celtics came out on top in both meetings this season. In January, they won 119-110 with Jayson Tatum and Luka Dončić having a battle for the ages. Tatum had an impressive stat line of 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Dončić countered with a triple-double of 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists. Jaylen Brown also made his mark with a solid 34-point performance. Their game in March (in Boston) saw Dončić once again delivering a triple-double, this time with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. However, Boston picked up the win yet again with a commanding 138-110 win, with seven different Celtics players scoring in double figures. Tatum contributed 32 points to the winning effort. These games provide a glimpse into the series dynamics, hinting at a high-scoring affair. Also, expect standout performances from players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and notably Luka Dončić, as they will deliver impressive numbers.
**Key Players** **Boston Celtics - Jayson Tatum** Here in Nigeria, we have a term that perfectly encapsulates a situation where something or someone becomes so familiar that their significance is overlooked–”See finish.” This phrase seems fitting when discussing Jayson Tatum within the NBA landscape. Just two seasons ago, he led the Celtics to the finals, but his underwhelming performance on the grandest stage left a lasting stain. Since then, he’s been subjected to criticism and scepticism from the basketball world. Yet, amidst these narratives, Tatum remains the Celtics’ best player and has once again led them to within 4 wins of ending a 16-year title drought. The numbers support this. Over the past 50 years, only five NBA players have boasted averages of 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists heading into the finals: Larry Bird in 1981 and 1987, LeBron James in 2015 and 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, Nikola Jokić in 2023, and now, Jayson Tatum joins this elite group. Our pick for our online betting community is for Tatum to lead the Celtics to the title, while being named finals MVP. **Dallas Mavericks - Luka Dončić** The Slovenian Guard isn’t just the best player on the Mavericks, he’s arguably the best player in the world. More often than not, when he steps on a basketball court, he’s the best player on it. Dominating the Regular Season, he claimed the scoring title with an astounding 33.9 points per game, marking the highest since 2006 for a player not named James Harden. He finished 3rd in the MVP voting behind Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and was voted 1st team All NBA. For those who live for the numbers, here’s a mind-blowing stat: Luka Dončić leads the 2024 playoffs in Total Points, Total Rebounds, Total Assists, and Total Steals. The Mavs’ offense isn’t as gifted as the Celtics’ so, Luka is tasked with more. We believe this is a trend that will continue in the final, and our bet of the day is for him to lead this series in points, assists and 3 pointers.
**Intriguing Storylines** **Boston Celtics: Kristaps Porziņģis Returns To Dallas** The two individuals listed in this category share a strikingly similar journey. Kristaps Porziņģis was once a Mavericks’ player, and when the experiment didn’t work, they shipped off to one of the worst teams in the league - the Wizards. Despite the challenges within that organisation, Porziņģis rediscovered his rhythm, achieving a career-high average of 23.2 points in the 2022/23 season. Now with the Celtics, the Latvian center is thriving. His impressive 52% field goal percentage and 69% accuracy at the rim mark personal bests, while his ability to limit opponents to a mere 44% field goal percentage at the rim ranks as the best in the league this season. Porziņģis got hurt in Game 3 of the opening round against the Heat, missing 11 straight games. In his absence, the Celtics won 10 of those 11 games as they cruised to the finals. While they’ve coped without him, he remains an important piece to this team. He’s back healthy and will be available for this series. Something tells me he’ll want to stick it to his former bosses. **Dallas Mavericks: Kyrie Irving Tries To Break Boston’s Curse** Kyrie Irving’s journey since leaving Cleveland has been rife with broken promises, disrupted super teams, trade demands, and even a suspension. Acquired by the Celtics in 2017, Irving’s tenure in Boston was marred by disappointment and discord, culminating in a nasty breakup that cast him as Public Enemy #1 in Beantown. The rift between Irving and Celtics fans has deepened over time, reaching a troubling climax during a 2021 matchup between the Nets (Irving’s old team) and the Celtics in Boston. In a moment of apparent disdain, Irving’s action of stepping on the Celtics’ logo at mid-court, dragging his shoe across Lucky the Leprechaun’s face, stirred further animosity. Since then, Irving has endured a streak of 10 consecutive losses to the Celtics. The next season, he requested a trade from the Nets, bringing a premature end to their super team. Despite all this drama, the NBA’s most polarizing figure has surprisingly become the bedrock of stability for the Dallas Mavericks. Irving seems like a man reborn - he’s a lot calmer and at peace with himself. However, just like Porziņģis, something tells me he’ll want to stick it to his former bosses as well.
**What The Numbers Say…** - Luka Dončić leads the 2024 playoffs in Total Points, Total Rebounds, Total Assists and Total Steals. - Jayson Tatum is one of only 5 players in the last 50 years to average 25 PPG, 10 RPG & 5 APG heading into the finals. - Kyrie Irving has lost each of his last 10 games against the Celtics including 4 in the playoffs while still a Nets player. - The Mavs are the only team in the last three postseasons with multiple wins (they’re 2-3) in games they trailed by at least 17 points. The Celtics, meanwhile, are 10-0 in games they led by double-digits. - The Celtics are 4-0 in clutch games this postseason. - In the 22 years since the first-round series changed to best-of-seven (44 teams total), the Celtics (6-2 at home, 6-0 on the road) and Mavs (5-3, 7-2) are just the fifth and sixth teams to reach the Finals with a better playoff record on the road than they had at home. - Jaylen Brown has shot 97-for-149 (65.1%) in the paint, the best mark among 16 players with at least 100 paint attempts and up from 60.7% in the regular season.
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