NBA FINALS, Gm 1 – Mavericks @ Celtics – 8:30PM, Thurs, June 6, 2024

[TheMartian]

Some interesting takes from the so-called "analysts" on ESPN and on YouTube:

- Celtics have the better top 6, but they do not have a deeper bench - I think I agree with this take, as both Hauser and Pritchard have been subpar. Granted, teams usually go 7 deep especially in the Finals, so we just need them to play decent basketball when they see playing time and we should be good.
- The Mavs have the top 2 best players in the series - such disrespect here, but I can see why there are doubters because even though our boy JT is putting up good numbers, the consistency is lacking.
- Luka has perfected the alley oop pass - as evidenced by Lively's 16/16 FG percentage in the WCF, this is something that Joe should be game planning against in these days leading to Game 1.
- Luka has been shooting 48% from 3 on the road - This is also something that the Celtics coaching staff should game plan against. We do not want a repeat of the 2022 Finals where Curry was able to demoralize the Celtics by hitting an insane amount of 3s. This is also where the Celtics' 2 losses in these playoffs came from - the other team shooting an insane % on 3s.
- This will be a home away from home series for both teams - true enough, both of these teams seem to play better on the road than at home, and this does not bode well for the Celtics since they have home court advantage. How insane does that sound, right? However, there is actually some truth to that.
- Tatum is ready and is out to prove his doubters wrong, but Luka is equally ready to take over the League - we'll see who wants it more between these 2 superstars. I just hope our star wants it a little bit more.

[165bows]

Some interesting takes from the so-called "analysts" on ESPN and on YouTube:

- Celtics have the better top 6, but they do not have a deeper bench - I think I agree with this take, as both Hauser and Pritchard have been subpar. Granted, teams usually go 7 deep especially in the Finals, so we just need them to play decent basketball when they see playing time and we should be good.
- The Mavs have the top 2 best players in the series - such disrespect here, but I can see why there are doubters because even though our boy JT is putting up good numbers, the consistency is lacking.
- Luka has perfected the alley oop pass - as evidenced by Lively's 16/16 FG percentage in the WCF, this is something that Joe should be game planning against in these days leading to Game 1.
- Luka has been shooting 48% from 3 on the road - This is also something that the Celtics coaching staff should game plan against. We do not want a repeat of the 2022 Finals where Curry was able to demoralize the Celtics by hitting an insane amount of 3s. This is also where the Celtics' 2 losses in these playoffs came from - the other team shooting an insane % on 3s.
- This will be a home away from home series for both teams - true enough, both of these teams seem to play better on the road than at home, and this does not bode well for the Celtics since they have home court advantage. How insane does that sound, right? However, there is actually some truth to that.
- Tatum is ready and is out to prove his doubters wrong, but Luka is equally ready to take over the League - we'll see who wants it more between these 2 superstars. I just hope our star wants it a little bit more.

Kyrie being the second best player in the series is such a bad take.
I do think the lob thing is a real weapon for Dallas but Boston has had guys like Rob Williams and Luke Kornet with extremely high Fg% as well it just means the guy only dunks lobs.

[zoyathedestroya]

Mavs are 7-2 on the road in the playoffs, having won 5 straight.

PROTECT HOME COURT and we win it all.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

How were they not favored in 2008?

[MaxwellSmart]

Read on Twitter

How were they not favored in 2008?

Every Idiot "Expert" Picked the Lakers....except Tim Legler.

[SLCceltic]

Yeah I watched that game. It was when the Mavs lost 5 of 6 because Kidd changed the entire defensive scheme. He changed it back after that stretch to what it is now, after the players said the scheme wasn't good. If you think the Mavs look anything like they did that game or during that week you have something else coming.

Throw that game out.

Mavs have not had to face a 48min 5-out scheme. The Mavs new D that you describe is centered around packing the paint. How the he77 you going to pack the paint chasing 5-out ??? And our top-8 man rotation aLL shoot slash ANd play-make in all that space ...I don't think you understand what you are facing. Luka and Kyrie will have to work their ass off on D aLL 48mins for every single game.

ADDitionally, you haven't seen anything like the D that we can throw at Luka Kyrie and lob-game. Everyone in our rotation is an excellent 1-1 ANd scheme defender. White and Holiday All-Defense this year, Jaylen should have made it, Tatum Horford are big-time defenders and KP elite rim-protector.

All of the Cs shoot, score and defend at a very high rate. Kyrie and Luka will have to work their ass off on D, plus Kyrie has some remaining Boston demons and atonement bouncing around in his head ....Kyrie has lost his last 10 games vs Cs, did you know that ??

1.
This is fair enough, the five out scheme is definitely going to be our biggest test and I'm not sure how well choose to defend it yet. Everything hinges on what kidd decides to do here, and whether the Celtics can force the five out offense to punish us.

2.
I think we'll probably sag off the guy two passes away to showmin the lane, and then rotate out when a kickout happens, before the second pass arrives. I think we'll allow a decent number of 3s. I think though we'll get more high percentage shots at the rim from lobs and drives. So it'll come down to rebounding and turnovers as well have to make up for 2s vs 3s by taking more shots.

3.
I don't think you guys have faced a defense like the Mavs yet. Miami is fairly physical but they're not nearly the defense the Mavs guys are. We're long, extremely quick and physical. Djj is a menace that can fight over any screen. PJ can guard 1 through 5 on most nights.

1. 5-out cannot really be defended when shots are falling. Jayson Tatum hasn't had a GrEAT game yet. He has played VeRY verY well in games, but no bigJT games yet. He is due. SLam houser is well past due for 3-6 3s in a couple games.

2. Good luck figuring that out in real-time. Maybe you have some coaching talent on your staff IDK, Kidd is not a defensive specialist. We can also sag KP in and out if the Mavs want to throw out a zone, thanks to Miami for teaching us. KP is now elite in the post

3. What is so special about your D ?? I mean, DJj is nice and all but you still have Luka and Kyrie for 40+ mins against JT JB Derrick White Jrue Holiday Peyton Pritchard Sam Houser Al Horford and Porzingis. Luka and Kyrie will have to worKKKkk every sec on D.
Luka ain't about that yet, Kyrie won't SHiNe vs Cs

[UglyBugBall]

Throw that game out.

Mavs have not had to face a 48min 5-out scheme. The Mavs new D that you describe is centered around packing the paint. How the he77 you going to pack the paint chasing 5-out ??? And our top-8 man rotation aLL shoot slash ANd play-make in all that space ...I don't think you understand what you are facing. Luka and Kyrie will have to work their ass off on D aLL 48mins for every single game.

ADDitionally, you haven't seen anything like the D that we can throw at Luka Kyrie and lob-game. Everyone in our rotation is an excellent 1-1 ANd scheme defender. White and Holiday All-Defense this year, Jaylen should have made it, Tatum Horford are big-time defenders and KP elite rim-protector.

All of the Cs shoot, score and defend at a very high rate. Kyrie and Luka will have to work their ass off on D, plus Kyrie has some remaining Boston demons and atonement bouncing around in his head ....Kyrie has lost his last 10 games vs Cs, did you know that ??

1.
This is fair enough, the five out scheme is definitely going to be our biggest test and I'm not sure how well choose to defend it yet. Everything hinges on what kidd decides to do here, and whether the Celtics can force the five out offense to punish us.

2.
I think we'll probably sag off the guy two passes away to showmin the lane, and then rotate out when a kickout happens, before the second pass arrives. I think we'll allow a decent number of 3s. I think though we'll get more high percentage shots at the rim from lobs and drives. So it'll come down to rebounding and turnovers as well have to make up for 2s vs 3s by taking more shots.

3.
I don't think you guys have faced a defense like the Mavs yet. Miami is fairly physical but they're not nearly the defense the Mavs guys are. We're long, extremely quick and physical. Djj is a menace that can fight over any screen. PJ can guard 1 through 5 on most nights.

1. 5-out cannot really be defended when shots are falling. Jayson Tatum hasn't really had a GrEAT game yet. He has played VeRY verY well in games, but no bigJT games yet. He is due. SLam houser is well past due for 3-6 3s in a couple games.

2. Good luck figuring that out in real-time. Maybe you have some coaching talent on your staff IDK, Kidd is not a defensive specialist. We can also sag KP in and out if the Mavs want to throw out a zone, thanks to Miami for teaching us. KP is now elite in the post

3. What is so special about your D ?? I mean, DJj is nice and all but you still have Luka and Kyrie for 40+ mins against JT JB Derrick White Jrue Holiday Peyton Pritchard Sam Houser Al Horford and Porzingis. Luka and Kyrie will have to worKKKkk every sec on D.
Luka ain't about that yet, Kyrie won't SHiNe vs Cs

1. Kidd is a defensive coach. That's his specialty.

2. PJ, Djj, Lively and Gafford are elite defenders in Kidd's system. I mean elite. We were the best defense in the league during the last 26 games of the season. Kyrie has also been a positive defender in the scheme.

3. If KP plans to work in the post that plays into the Mavs plans anyway. We have the best post defense in the playoffs, and lively would suffocate kp there. Fortunately for Celtics I don't kp leaves the three point line as coaching staff would know this too.

I do think the five out offense will be a challenge, especially since we prioritize packing the paint. I think game one will tell us what the plan is there, because we haven't faced that yet

[GreenBloodedC]

Read on Twitter

How were they not favored in 2008?

Because the Hawks and Cavs took the Celtics to 7

[kivancb]

With all due respect to Luka & the Mavs, we couldn't have found a better opponent in the finals if we were to able to choose it. Sweep this - at worst gently, and start the dynasty.

[Fierce1]

With all due respect to Luka & the Mavs, we couldn't have found a better opponent in the finals if we were to able to choose it. Sweep this - at worst gently, and start the dynasty.

[London2Boston]

Ergh. How is it only Monday……

[Fierce1]

Ergh. How is it only Monday……

What happened to Monday?

That was a good movie.

[London2Boston]

Read on Twitter

How were they not favored in 2008?

Because the Hawks and Cavs took the Celtics to 7

If only social media was a thing back then. The takes would have been wild during that run

[zoyathedestroya]

When you're sick of all the talking heads and you just wanna see the games play out already. Then you realize we're still 2.5 days away.

[playa-hater]

When you're sick of all the talking heads and you just wanna see the games play out already. Then you realize we're still 2.5 days away.

3.5 in my part of the world

[zoyathedestroya]

When you're sick of all the talking heads and you just wanna see the games play out already. Then you realize we're still 2.5 days away.

3.5 in my part of the world

LOL that's now how time zone works.

I'm just bad at counting. IT IS 3.5 days. WTF.

[Fierce1]

3.5 days might make KP's calf 3.5 times stronger.

[meatball sub]

Just play a **** scrimmage or something so he can see some **** basketball

[SLCceltic]

When you're sick of all the talking heads and you just wanna see the games play out already. Then you realize we're still 2.5 days away.

2.5 days untiL
the break of dawn

aLL signs point to KP playing !

[Boston508]

Are you using the Samsung internet browser? Even my old S7 can run this website without issues.

I am using a Samsung phone and browser, but even my old OnePlus phone is freezing using Chrome browser.

It's not your end mate, it's the site. Not sure whether their servers have been affected by some form of adware or whether it's their new or existing advertisement system that generates their revenue, but it constantly runs updates and tracking via javascript causing the poor performance.

Here is a screenshot from my Firefox Dev Tools window (It's just a 10 second sample of communication between my browser and RealGM servers - when all I have done is load the site and nothing else). Even as I type it's continuing to cycle and affect performance of the RealGM browser tab and slow down typing).

That's quite interesting. I remember using chrome on the S7 I still have, and it was always laggy and horrible. Once I switched to Samsung Browser it completely fixed it. Same ISP and everything... definitely a head scratcher for me, then. I'll throw a Let's go Celtics in here so it's not too much off-topic LOL.