2024 NBA FINALS: #1 Boston Celtics vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (Game 1: Thursday June 6th)

[Forbes]

Excited I can’t wait.

[Mk0]

The young blood lively is going to send horford old as into retirement

Brad Steven’s needs to make the right decision and sit him

Brad isn't the coach anymore.. and hasn't been for years.

[Swish1906]

Thought that going in to the season but Celtics ended as the best defensive rebounding team in the NBA. They are very very good at mob rebounding and Tatum has been a beast

Yeah but Lively and Gafford should be way too big/springy for Horford. KP is always a disappointing rebounder for his size. Mavs have additional Luka, Kleber, DJJ…I think there lays an advantage for the Mavs

KP absolutely smoked your frontcourt this year so you guys gotta hope to hell he's not himself (assuming he plays obviously)

You mean KP smoked us in the one game with a 24/6 stats line, shooting 8-14?


I mean if that is smoking….btw lively was a perfect 7-7 FGA in that game and Gafford played just 6min in that game because Kidd still messed with the rotation…

[Oscar9992]

This was before the tonight's game btw

Read on Twitter

[Texas Chuck]

I have too much respect for bisme I'm gonna not call for the sweep I called for last series. But let's go. Luka as an underdog for the 4th series in a row and now a big one--wouldn't want to be the team facing that. And love the series starts in Boston where some guys deep in their chowda will be taunting him.

Luka likely to be on one. Same with Kyrie.

[ForeverTFC]

lol No they don't

You disagree that Luka is the best player in the series or that Kyrie is better than Brown?

We can debate the latter, the former is a fact.

Luka


Tatum
Kyrie


Brown

Kyrie a lot closer to Brown, Tatum is in a different tier. But otherwise I agree.

Tier 1: Luka
Tier 2: Tatum
Tier 3: Kyrie, Brown

[___Rand___]

Luka and Kyrie might be the best offensive backcourt ever, but Celtics have the tools to slow down Luka and Kyrie. Tatum Brown Holiday and White will be a handful for Mav's perimeter defenders to contain. Slight advantage to Celtics.

Mavs' front court is younger, taller, quicker. Clear advantage Mavs.

Jason Kidd vs. Joe Mazzulla. Kidd has shown immense growth as a coach this season and in the playoffs. Slight edge to Kidd. I have no faith in Mazzulla to come up with defensive schemes and adjustments on a consistent basis over a long series.

This series could go 7 games. Celtics have not been as good on their home court. Slight advantage Mavs.

By this rationale, it should be Mavs in 7. But my intuition doesn't want to call it.

[Mavrelous]

I'm surprised Mavericks are +6 in game 1. I'm kind of torn on this series but the last 4 weeks of basketball tells me Dallas is the hottest team in the league and Boston, who admittedly has been the best team in the league all year, has basically had 3 rounds of byes. I'd think it would be closer to a pick 'em. I guess I'll open the wallet.

This is the worst matchup possible for the Mavs, they don't respond well to 5-out teams, they were able to beat OKC because Giddy, Dort and Chet were left alone and couldn't punish the Mavs, Celtics don't have these weak offensive links, still, Kidd may have some aces up his sleeve, Maxi unlocks switch heavy lineup (though I doubt they go for it often, it totally exposes Luka to hunting, Mavs schemes protect him a lot), there is also the "**** you" element, there is no scheme for game 5 against the Wolves Luka, if the series stays within reach we may get this performance again.
Despite the unfavourable match up, I'm optimistic...

[SweetTouch]

The young blood lively is going to send horford old as into retirement

Brad Steven’s needs to make the right decision and sit him

Brad isn't the coach anymore.. and hasn't been for years.

Brad runs things in Boston, Joe doesn’t decide who starts and who sits

[doogie_hauser]

I got the Celtics in 6.

We have too much fire-power for the Mavs to handle plus home court advantage.

Not taking Dallas lightly though

[Swish1906]

I watched em all. They’re going to be a matchup nightmare. Who is guarding Brown? He’s going to get free looks all series.

DJJ will while PJ is guarding Tatum.

Celtics have a bigger issue because white is going to be undersized and you can’t put him on Luka

Brown is guarding Luka. He got cooked last time they played but they already said that was happening

Of course it’s Brown against Luka, Jrue vs Irving and then you have White against DJI or PJ…absolutely undersized

[UNCBlue012]

Give me Boston in six. Should be a good one!

[zimpy27]

Mavs seem like the team to bet on right now. The odds should be much closer, this series is more of a coin flip.

[rockmanslim]

Swap Kyrie and Kristaps back to their previous teams. Who wins that swap?

[The-Stallion70]

The young blood lively is going to send horford old as into retirement

Brad Steven’s needs to make the right decision and sit him

Brad isn't the coach anymore.. and hasn't been for years.

Buttigieg runs things in Boston, Joe doesn’t decide who starts and who sits

Fixed

[jc23]

Celtics are better but have long stretches were they become complacent and play below their ability. Mavericks have the more dominant 1 2 punch and the best player in the series. I got celtics in 6.

[jigga_man]

People are really underestimating the impact of Kristaps not playing.

[JujitsuFlip]

The first mostly healthy team the Celtics will face. Given that, i assume the Mavs win.

[Movics]

Kyrie can’t let Bill Simmons’ team win

[blueberrysticky]

the mavs went through a toughhhhh road to get here.

the 1,3,4 seeds in western conf