After blowing out the Minnesota Timberwolves in last week’s game five matchup, the Dallas Mavericks are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. They will now face the Boston Celtics. Statistically, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA. In addition, Boston has another chance to get their 18th championship in franchise history. Dallas will need every available player to do their jobs if they hope to get their first win on Boston’s home floor tonight.
Mavericks Keys To A Game One Victory Over The Celtics
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving Must Be Dominant
Dallas is outmatched in every category against the Celtics, except for in the backcourt, where they have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They are two best guards in this series. They will have to continue to put up monster numbers against a Celtics backcourt that has Jrue Holiday and Derrick White available. Boston has two of the best and stingiest defensive players in the association.
Irving and Doncic will have to use their quickness advantage to get Holiday and White out of position. That should force the Celtics’ guards to either foul them or give up the easy bucket. Additionally, attacking the basket should force the Celtics’ defense to collapse and create high-percentage shooting opportunities for their teammates.
This series will be determined by whichever backcourt duo puts their stamp on this series. Either Doncic and Irving will continue to dominate their matchups, or Holiday and White will contain them. If Doncic and Irving are not at least combining for 50 to 80 points of Dallas’ final point total, the Mavericks have no chance of winning tonight or beating Boston in this series.
Dallas Has To Have The Best Bench Unit In The Series
The Dallas Mavericks’ second unit has been fantastic throughout the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Additionally, Dereck Lively II has not played like a rookie throughout the postseason. In every victory Dallas has pulled off in the playoffs. Lively has gotten a key block, forced a turnover, or gotten a pivotal offensive or defensive rebound.
In addition, if he continues to be dominant against the Celtics big men in this series, Dallas not only will beat the Celtics tonight, but have a chance to beat them for the duration of this series. Lively II is the biggest difference-maker in a series filled with dynamic superstars. If he can get his fellow role players to join him in putting their stamp on the game. Boston will be in trouble in this series.
Mavericks Must Contain Brown and Tatum
One of the biggest knocks on the Mavericks in recent years has been their inability to play defense. They have been able to put together good defensive performances against the Thunder and Timberwolves. However, the Celtics are a team that tests the defensive scheme of their opponents. If Dallas wants to beat Boston tonight, they must contain Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, one of the best and most explosive duos in the league.
Both Brown and Tatum can wreck whatever defensive scheme an opposing team has planned. In order to contain them, Dallas must play disciplined defense and force them into difficult shots. Allowing Tatum or Brown to get easy buckets is a recipe for disaster for Dallas.
Also, Dallas must limit Boston to one shot opportunity on offense. If the Mavericks allow Boston to get multiple looks at the basket, the Celtics will make them pay. The ball usually finds Tatum or Brown for a high-percentage three-pointer or easy basket. Dallas has to keep both of them in check, or they will lose this series. If they can keep both players from combining to score 40 to 60 of Boston’s total points in the game, the Mavericks have a chance to beat the Celtics tonight and in this series.
