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

[Yuri36]

Kyrie is 1-10 vs. Celtics since leaving Boston, with no wins in Boston.

C's have beaten the Mavs in 4 straight games the past 2 seasons.

In this season's 2 wins over Dallas, Tatum was the leading scorer with 39 points.

KP missed one of the 2 wins over Dallas this year. Luka and Kyrie played in both.

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

[Green89]

I’d say OKC is probably the most difficult match up defensively for the Mavs and well, the Mavs got past em.

Right, because the Thunder scored 6 less PPG in these playoffs than Boston, shoot a worse 2 and 3pt %, averaged less assists, less offensive rebounds, and ranked 9th offensively of all playoffs teams while Boston is 2nd. But you're right, OKC would be the more difficult matchup.

[ArksNetsSince99]

Rooting for Celtics but betting on Mavs.

That +185 line was just too tempting.

So wait , you gonna root to loose your bets ( money )

[kacey ring]

All of the pressure, every single ounce of it, is on the Celtics.

They’ll make Luka work on both ends. Can throw different bodies at him too. How often will they blitz him or double him? Can Mavs’ role players hit their open threes consistently? What kind of defensive scheme will Mavs employ when they can’t sag off and plug the gaps?

Mavs have rose to the challenge every series. Such a resilient bunch. They’re going to cherish being underdogs again.

[ajones9219]

I have Mavs in 6/7 but could easily be Boston in 7.
Think Boston's small ball won't cut it over the 7 games against a team like Dallas

Boston is tailor made to match up against a team like the Mavs. This may actually be the worst matchup for Dallas in the NBA

Not sure about that.
Luka in particular has been a royal pain in Boston's ass the last few years he's played them.
And i don't trust Boston to stop Dallas's twin towers when even Minny couldn't do it.

Luka is a -66 in his last 110 minutes against the Celtics and Boston has literally dominated that matchup over the past 2 season. Brown literally smothers Luka every time.

[Lefty20]

Rooting for Celtics but betting on Mavs.

That +185 line was just too tempting.

So wait , you gonna root to loose your bets ( money )

I've bet against my favs all the time.

Gotta root with the heart and bet with the head.

[ajones9219]

Kyrie is 1-10 vs. Celtics since leaving Boston, with no wins in Boston.

C's have beaten the Mavs in 4 straight games the past 2 seasons.

In this season's 2 wins over Dallas, Tatum was the leading scorer with 39 points.

KP missed one of the 2 wins over Dallas this year. Luka and Kyrie played in both.

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

Based on what exactly? Also Boston beat the Mavs by 28 AFTER that trade

[Green89]

Kyrie is 1-10 vs. Celtics since leaving Boston, with no wins in Boston.

C's have beaten the Mavs in 4 straight games the past 2 seasons.

In this season's 2 wins over Dallas, Tatum was the leading scorer with 39 points.

KP missed one of the 2 wins over Dallas this year. Luka and Kyrie played in both.

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

All of those players were on Dallas and played in Boston's March 1st 138-110 trouncing of the Mavs, despite a triple double from Luka.

[Yuri36]

Boston is tailor made to match up against a team like the Mavs. This may actually be the worst matchup for Dallas in the NBA

Not sure about that.
Luka in particular has been a royal pain in Boston's ass the last few years he's played them.
And i don't trust Boston to stop Dallas's twin towers when even Minny couldn't do it.

Luka is a -66 in his last 110 minutes against the Celtics and Boston has literally dominated that matchup over the past 2 season. Brown literally smothers Luka every time.

Cool bro, taking account of the most meaningless stat around (+/-) especially when one superstar played Inna seriously bad team comparing to the Celtics in most of those games

[JJtheBricklayer]

Celtic haters gonna be in for a rude awakening.

5 of the top 7 players and 2 of the top 3 in this series play for Boston. Lukas gonna get his but were gonna see a lot of stat lines like Luka 37/9/10 with Boston winning by 10.

Lukas gonna ball out but Kyrie is gonna piss down his leg just like he has the last 10 times hes played Boston. Mavs are a good team, but the C's match up great vs them. Mavs just dont have enough talent around Luka to bring it home

[Yuri36]

Kyrie is 1-10 vs. Celtics since leaving Boston, with no wins in Boston.

C's have beaten the Mavs in 4 straight games the past 2 seasons.

In this season's 2 wins over Dallas, Tatum was the leading scorer with 39 points.

KP missed one of the 2 wins over Dallas this year. Luka and Kyrie played in both.

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

All of those players were on Dallas and played in Boston's March 1st 138-110 trouncing of the Mavs, despite a triple double from Luka.

My bad though Gafford only played 5min

[Roddy B for 3]

I’d say OKC is probably the most difficult match up defensively for the Mavs and well, the Mavs got past em.

Right, because the Thunder scored 6 less PPG in these playoffs than Boston, shoot a worse 2 and 3pt %, averaged less assists, less offensive rebounds, and ranked 9th offensively of all playoffs teams while Boston is 2nd. But you're right, OKC would be the more difficult matchup.

60% of your OKC sample size is against the Mavs lol

[ajones9219]

Not sure about that.
Luka in particular has been a royal pain in Boston's ass the last few years he's played them.
And i don't trust Boston to stop Dallas's twin towers when even Minny couldn't do it.

Luka is a -66 in his last 110 minutes against the Celtics and Boston has literally dominated that matchup over the past 2 season. Brown literally smothers Luka every time.

Cool bro, taking account of the most meaningless stat around (+/-) especially when one superstar played Inna seriously bad team comparing to the Celtics in most of those games

2 of those games were THIS season lmao.

[dirkules_41]

Kyrie is 1-10 vs. Celtics since leaving Boston, with no wins in Boston.

C's have beaten the Mavs in 4 straight games the past 2 seasons.

In this season's 2 wins over Dallas, Tatum was the leading scorer with 39 points.

KP missed one of the 2 wins over Dallas this year. Luka and Kyrie played in both.

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

Based on what exactly? Also Boston beat the Mavs by 28 AFTER that trade

That was before Kidd figured out what a good rotation looks like and Cs shot like 98% from 3.

[ajones9219]

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

All of those players were on Dallas and played in Boston's March 1st 138-110 trouncing of the Mavs, despite a triple double from Luka.

My bad though Gafford only played 5min

Because Boston was torching them. This is a bad matchup for the Mavs...plain and simple. You can choose to believe that or not. You'll find out here pretty soon

[Texas Chuck]

So I love the overly cocky Mavs opponent fan in all these threads. But gotta admit you Boston guys are the best because I read all those comments in that stupid accent. We gonna smotha Luka in the Gaden.

You guys have every right to feel confident. Hell of a team you guys got. Not sure how you can watch what the Mavs did against a much tougher competition and feel like its a cakewalk though. Good luck with all that.

[Yuri36]

I’d say OKC is probably the most difficult match up defensively for the Mavs and well, the Mavs got past em.

Right, because the Thunder scored 6 less PPG in these playoffs than Boston, shoot a worse 2 and 3pt %, averaged less assists, less offensive rebounds, and ranked 9th offensively of all playoffs teams while Boston is 2nd. But you're right, OKC would be the more difficult matchup.

Want to compare the opponents OKC faced comparing to those of Boston? If i say to you Heat without Butler, Indiana without Haliburton for most of the série or Cavs without D.Mitchell for at least one game if i remember well, does it speak enough to you?

[ajones9219]

That counts for almost nothing, Celtics have yet to face a Dallas team with the Luka-Kyrie-Gafford-PJ-Lively lineup.
You well know Dallas are an entirely different team since the Gafford-PJ trade....in fact the best in the NBA since that trade.

Based on what exactly? Also Boston beat the Mavs by 28 AFTER that trade

That was before Kidd figured out what a good rotation looks like and Cs shot like 98% from 3.

lol Mavs fans in with every excuse in the book. Come on mang. BTW the Celtics are the best 3 point shooting team in the league so when Dallas is getting torched again....Boston isn't getting lucky...that's how they play

[Oscar9992]

Boston Celtics have better roster & starting 5 overall and obviously a favourites over Mavs in upcoming Finals.

But if Celtics play they played against Pacers they might lose. Mavs are red hot right now with motivated Kyrie, healing up & rested Luka and twin towers in Lively/Gafford.

[ajones9219]

I’d say OKC is probably the most difficult match up defensively for the Mavs and well, the Mavs got past em.

Right, because the Thunder scored 6 less PPG in these playoffs than Boston, shoot a worse 2 and 3pt %, averaged less assists, less offensive rebounds, and ranked 9th offensively of all playoffs teams while Boston is 2nd. But you're right, OKC would be the more difficult matchup.

Want to compare the opponents OKC faced comparing to those of Boston? If i say to you Heat without Butler, Indiana without Haliburton for most of the série or Cavs without D.Mitchell for at least one game if i remember, does it speak enough to you?

So the argument is it's better for the Mavs that they had to go through a grueling run and have a hobbled Luka while Boston dominated and are pamper fresh coming into the finals?