Tag: 2024 nba playoffs

The Celtics aren’t relying on one player to win the NBA championship

The Boston Celtics have elite offenisve talent within their roster. As such, they don’t need to rely on one or two players to get the job done.

The Boston Celtics boast arguably the deepest roster in the NBA. They have three-level scorers at every position, along with multiple high-level playmakers. And everyone in the playoff rotation can guard their yard. As such, the Celtics are an unpredictable opponent. On any given night, a different roster member can step up and have a game-defining performance.

In Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday (June 6), Kristaps Porzingis came up big. The veteran big man was returning from over a month on the sidelines with a right soleus strain. He checked in off the Celtics bench and produced a game-changing performance on both sides of the floor. During his postgame news conference, Porzingis’ performance led Jaylen Brown to praise Boston’s strength in depth.

“In any given night it could be any of us,” Brown said. “And Kristaps had a monster game for us and just his presence shooting the ball and then him being able to attack those switches and mismatches, he made them pay every time, and that’s what we need going forward in the series. Kristaps was big, but those other guys, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, JT, they all can get going at any point in time, so that’s the beauty of our team.”

The Celtics likely hope their plethora of offensive options will continue producing in the coming weeks. Boston is just three wins away from being crowned as NBA Champions.

The Celtics added Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis during the summer. Brad Stevens likely envisioned Boston’s need for additional offense during the postseason. Now, those two moves are paying dividends. And they could help end the team’s 16-year championship drought.

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PHOTOS: Boston vs. Dallas – Celtics dominate Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in the Celtics’ Game 1 win vs. the Mavs.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of the NBA finals Thursday night. Game 2 is Sunday night at TD Garden, a chance for Boston to grab a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

The Celtics welcomed back Kristaps Porzingis, who has been sidelined since the first round of the playoffs with a calf strain. His return helped power a dominant offensive clinic for Boston. It was defense that was the biggest factor in the game, however. The Mavericks couldn’t find a groove scoring the ball thanks to a very aggressive defensive approach from the Celtics. Save a brief run in the third, once Boston built a lead, it was smooth sailing for the guys in green.

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in the Celtics’ Game 1 win vs. the Mavs.

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The Jayson Tatum criticism is nothing more than nit-picking

JJ Redick believes the current criticism of Jayson Tatum is nothing more than nit-picking.

Jayson Tatum is the most complete player on the Boston Celtics roster. He is an elite playmaker, scorer, rebounder and underrated defender. However, Tatum’s jump-shooting struggles have received him significant criticism throughout the season, and the noise only got louder during the playoffs.

During a recent interview, ESPN’s JJ Redick admitted that the current narratives surrounding Tatum are nothing more than nit-picking. Nevertheless, that’s the sort of criticism that comes with being among the 10 best players in the NBA, especially when you’re about to appear on the biggest stage in the world.

“As far as Tatum, again, I think with great players comes nitpicking, and it feels all very nitpicky to me,” Redick said. “You know, he’s, I think, played really well in the playoffs…His ability to defend; his ability to rebound the basketball. Doris and I agree on this: He’s certainly at his best when he puts his head down and gets to the basket and creates havoc that way.”

Tatum is playing a veteran brand of basketball. He’s allowing the game to come to him. He makes the right read on every trip down the court. And he never gets flustered when the opposing defense looks to pressure him with blitzes or hard hedges.

Nevertheless, Tatum’s performances will continue to be scrutinized. Boston is expected to overcome the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, and Tatum will shoulder a heavy offensive and defensive load. However, if he can add a championship ring to his budding resume, the criticism will quickly vanish.

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Former Celtics fan favorite believes Mavericks have the best duo

Isaiah Thomas believes that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are a better duo than Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Isaiah Thomas believes the Dallas Mavericks have the better duo heading into the NBA Finals. The former Boston Celtics guard sees Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as the more skilled tandem over Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Despite Boston’s star forwards being elite on both sides of the ball.

Thomas made the comments during a recent appearance on the “Bully Ball” podcast. He discussed the NBA Finals matchup and anointed Doncic and Irving as two of the best players to ever grace the league, regardless of generation or era. As such, Thomas likely sees the Mavericks as having a significant advantage heading into their series.

“Two of the best ever,” Thomas said. “Obviously, Jayson Tatum and those guys are really good. Jaylen Brown is really good. But Luka and Kyrie are something we haven’t seen. And I’m putting them two, like they got the best duo…They got the best duo, they just don’t got the best team.”

Tatum and Brown play both sides of the ball. They are not only elite scorers and playmakers but also defend at an elite level and can rebound with the best of them. That is why the Celtics are such a formidable opponent; you can’t exploit them on either side of the floor.

The Celtics will enter the Finals as heavy favorites to win a championship, regardless of what Thomas thinks. They have the better roster. They are better defensively and arguably have the best duo in the series. It won’t be easy, but the Celtics will be looking to finish a journey that started when Thomas was still suiting up for the team.

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What advantages do the Celtics have over the Mavericks?

Where can the Boston Celtics find some advantages against the Dallas Mavericks?

The Boston Celtics will face the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. Luka Doncic is undoubtedly the best player in the series. However, the Celtics have the deeper, more talented roster and will be looking to win via the numbers game and with their work in the margins.

During a recent episode of “The Celtics Chronicle” podcast, host Adam Taylor was joined by Keith Smith to discuss where the Celtics can find advantages against the Mavericks. Of course, everything starts with finding ways to contain Doncic’s scoring and limiting his ability to set his teammates up for easy looks.

Still, Dallas’ defense will be under significant pressure as it tries to contain an offense littered with three-level scorers who can all put the ball on the floor and make quick decisions. It’s in those margins where the Celtics can take control of the series and produce consistent offense that keeps the Mavericks on the back foot.

You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded link above.

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Boston Celtics almost swapped Kyrie Irving for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019

The Boston Celtics almost traded Kyrie Irving for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019.

Kyrie Irving’s tenure with the Boston Celtics is often spoken about in hushed tones. His contentious relationship with the Celtics fan base has led to several hostile receptions at the TD Garden. Many segments of the fan base believe Irving downed tools during the 2019 playoffs. Now, he will be lining up against the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Boston also has a perceived villain in this series. Porzingis’ tenure with the Dallas Mavericks never went to plan. He left the franchise after two and a half years of struggle next to Luka Doncic. Interestingly, he and Irving almost swapped places in 2019, which would have put both stars on a different career trajectory.

“When New York’s front office began to quietly pursue deals to move on from Porzingis, the Celtics and Knicks even held tangible dialogue about swapping Irving for the 7-2 sharpshooter, league sources told Yahoo Sports, before the Mavericks swooped in and sent a package headlined by two first-round picks to New York,” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported.

Trades that never came to fruition are rife within the NBA. Teams have a dialogue about countless deals each year, with only a slim percentage getting over the finish line. Nevertheless, it’s fair to wonder how the Celtics would have fared with Porzingis in their rotation, especially in the 2022 postseason.

Fortunately for Boston, they now have Porzingis in their rotation. He’s expected to return from his right soleus strain to begin the series. The Celtics eventually got their man, and now, they will be hoping he’s capable of getting them over the hump and into the history books.

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Payton Pritchard can be a sparkplug in the NBA Finals

Payton Pritchard could be a sparkplug for the Boston Celtics during the NBA Finals.

As we gear up for an NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, all eyes will be on the star matchups. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are a formidable guard duo, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are arguably the best wing pairing in the NBA.

However, both team’s bench players will significantly influence how the series plays out. During a recent interview with ESPN, former Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins pinpointed Payton Pritchard as a potential difference-maker off the Celtics bench. The fourth-year guard has enjoyed some strong performances throughout the postseason and has thrived in a consistent role for Joe Mazzulla’s team.

“That’s what I’m looking at,” Perkins said. “Somebody is going to have to step up off the bench and do what they do…Just curious to see Payton Pritchard is who I got my eye on because I know he can rise to the occasion. The kid has been a baller ever since he’s been at Oregon. I know he’s capable of doing it, and he’s been pretty damn good throughout this postseason. I think he’s going to really have to be their spark for them off the bench consistently throughout the NBA Finals.”

Pritchard is averaging 20.9 minutes per game throughout the playoffs. He’s averaging 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field and 45.5% from 3-point range. Pritchard has proven himself capable of changing the tempo of the game and pressuring the defense with his floor spacing and ability to score around the rim.

Pritchard has shown he isn’t scared of big moments. He could be a spark plug for the Celtics offense. Whether he emerges as a legitimate difference-maker will remain to be seen. However, the Mavericks would be wise not to overlook the threat he poses.

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Can the Boston Celtics wear out Luka Doncic?

Can the Boston Celtics wear out Luka Doncic throughout the NBA Finals?

The Boston Celtics will face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The first game of the series will take place on Thursday (June 6). Luka Doncic is unquestionably the best player in the match-up, however, his conditioning could be an area Joe Mazzulla’s team looks to exploit.

In a recent interview, former Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins discussed whether the Celtics will look to test Doncic’s conditioning by trying to wear him out during games and throughout the series as a whole. However, Perkins also warned the Celtics not to fall into a similar trap that the Golden State Warriors set in the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I think you do have to try to wear Luka down, but Luka is just a different breed,” Perkins said. “…But remember this, though: Boston tried to do the same thing against Steph Curry when they lost to him in the Finals. They were trying to search him out, and there was moments where I saw Steph Curry actually going Al Horford on the low block and was doing a pretty damn good job of it.”

Dallas must find ways to keeping their star player fresh. The Celtics are highly talented at forcing switches and generating mismatches. If they can consistently put Doncic in action, they will likely explore ways to make him run and embrace physicality in the hope that he starts to fade in the latter stages of games.

Boston has one of the best offenses in the NBA. They also boast arguably the deepest rotation in the league. Protecting Doncic will be a tough task for the Mavericks coaching staff. How they fare will have a big impact on the duration of the upcoming series.

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Snoop Dogg had a stunned reaction to Luka Doncic screaming NSFW stuff at an NBA fan

Snoop Dogg reacting to Luka Doncic’s NSFW taunting at an NBA fan was priceless.

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic responded to taunting from a Minnesota Timberwolves fan on Thursday night with a pretty epic, NSFW taunt of his own.

After he got a two-point shot and drew a foul, Doncic yelled something very funny and very inappropriate at an NBA fan in the stands who was taunting the Mavs player earlier in the game, per The Dallas Morning News’ Mike Curtis.

While the TNT broadcast thought the Doncic taunt was aimed at Snoop Dogg, the legendary rapper just happened to be within earshot of Doncic and had a delightful reaction on the sideline to the exchange.

Alright, if that’s not one of the best moments of the 2024 NBA playoffs so far, we’re not really sure what is.

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The Timberwolves got off to such a bad start in Game 5 that they made Ernie Johnson swear on Inside the NBA

The Timberwolves were down bad on Thursday night. How down bad? Ask Ernie Johnson.

The Minnesota Timberwolves laid an egg during the first half of Game 5 for the 2024 Western conference finals on Thursday night, and it stunned Inside the NBA commentator Ernie Johnson to the point of actually swearing.

It was a very PG potty word for the typically mild-mannered Johnson, who said that the Dallas Mavericks “opened up a serious can here at Target Center” on Minnesota during the first two quarters.

When fellow Inside the NBA commentator Kenny Smith pressed Johnson to explain what he meant, he delivered the line of the night.

“Can of whoop ass,” Johnson retorted. “69-40. Man alive.”

That is absolutely priceless for Johnson and absolutely brutal for the Timberwolves. It takes a lot to get Johnson to say a bad word on camera.

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