2024 NBA FINALS: #1 Boston Celtics vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (BOS leads 1-0)

[Bourne85]

logic isn't allowed. tatum needs to force his own personal offense to please rgm users.

Tatum learned two years ago what Edwards learned this season.

LeBron carrying teams for years and people loving it has got people obsessed with having one dude carry their team all season.

It’s absurd.

How can you watch that game and think Tatum simply has to score more???

He missed some shots but his unselfishness led to easy 3s for the Celtics all night.

Mavs don’t have a chance at defending that.

You can disguise it however you like. Performing in the Finals matters. Especially for “superstar” players. 6-17 16 points isn’t gonna cut it. And 6 of those 16 came in garbage time when he was the only starter in the game. All the big time players get judged in the finals. That was a dud game from Tatum

[GSP]

Kidd halftime speech was actually right they won the 3rd and 4th quarters lol but didnt matter for the result

[JustBuzzin]

I’ve yet to see said poster ever make a good point

Said poster only makes facts.

You’re like a worse version of Kendrick Perkins

That's actually a compliment.

Perkins all over my damn TV screen. He must be doing something right.

[JJtheBricklayer]

Series is over. Kyrie has mental block against the Celtics. 0-11 since stepping on Lucky?

so many people think hes the kyrie that lit up the GSW in 2017...

its like they dont realize that was 7 years ago, Kyrie is a mental midget these days, thats now 11 straight losses to boston

[doogie_hauser]

Just a reminder Svi Mykhailuk has scored more points in the NBA Finals than Joel Embiid

Best player in the world ROFL

[GrandTheftRondo]

Tatum learned two years ago what Edwards learned this season.

LeBron carrying teams for years and people loving it has got people obsessed with having one dude carry their team all season.

It’s absurd.

How can you watch that game and think Tatum simply has to score more???

He missed some shots but his unselfishness led to easy 3s for the Celtics all night.

Mavs don’t have a chance at defending that.

You can disguise it however you like. Performing in the Finals matters. Especially for “superstar” players. 6-17 16 points isn’t gonna cut it. And 6 of those 16 came in garbage time when he was the only starter in the game. All the big time players get judged in the finals. That was a dud game from Tatum

Not gonna cut it you’re right!!!!

Oh wait the Celtics still won because basketball is a team game and Tatum still played a role within the offence.

Garbage simplistic analysis

[Tha Cynic]

Why didn't Kyrie stomp on center court after this game?

Are people really that worked up about a player stomping on a picture?

I'm cheering for the Mavs lol....I just find dumb stuff like that funny when it backfires like don't you think about how it will look after. Like the vid of him saying it was the T'Wolves superbowl but just another game for them and then sucking and losing. I just don't get the cockiness showmanship BS these guys do. They're almost all guilty of it though. Tatum blowing kisses to the Boston crowd then getting beat by 8th seeded Miami without Butler, Curry's dumb sleep thing I hate it all. But I'm a hockey guy that's used to seeing respect because if you disrespect an opponent in that sport you better be ready to fight.

It's a sport played by humans, not robots so you let them do that showmanship part. We're watching for the entertainment and that adds to it. If we don't want these guys saying anything then stop interviewing them and just play a generic clip from before.

NHL playoff hockey is basically a bunch of guys running around trying to hurt each other. Marchand even came out and said as much. That's not respect lol. The fights are basically a couple of guys holding each other and dancing for 2 minutes and then punching helmets for 15 seconds.

[___Rand___]

The fact this board is so focused on Tatum’s performance compared to Dallas’ garbage performance as a team tells me all I need to know about the hate. Kyrie Irving was literal trash out there yet not a peep made about him. Or anyone really in Dallas including Doncic who wasn’t even good for his standards. That’s what should be focused on

IMO Tatum played well here. I don't care about the points he scored. He was driving to the bucket more, causing Mavs to foul him, breaking down their defense, stressing it and getting looks for his teammates. He also played well on defense. I thought he played a great game overall except a few instances where he settled for 3s over the head of Luka and Kleber.

[dockingsched]

Race for finals mvp between Jaylen, KP and Luka gonna be good.

[knuckles862]

Boston picked the gameplay I thought was best. Live with kyrie and luka on iso and switch everything. Yeah they are great shot creators but everyone on the celtics is at least decent on defense so they wouldn't beat you alone

[KamikazeK]

personally I don't care what y'all think about Tatum. He can be the GOAT, or he can be tobias harris. All I care about is 3 more wins.

[BigGargamel]

Gafford/Jones/Washington being 3/5 of a starting lineup in an NBA Finals game is pretty crazy. Luke and Kyrie are gonna have to go crazy every game for them to have a chance. That's just not enough talent man.

[SweetTouch]

I told yall Brad Steven’s had the game plan on kyrie on lock
Brad Steven’s should be finals mvp

[meh]

Gafford/Jones/Washington being 3/5 of a starting lineup in an NBA Finals game is pretty crazy. Luke and Kyrie are gonna have to go crazy every game for them to have a chance. That's just not enough talent man.

Mavs fans have been saying that Lively is the key. OK. LMAO.

[cupcakesnake]

Yeah Boston have the personnel to defend Luka and Kyrie like NO OTHER TEAM. It's bearing out. I thought Lively and Gafford will make Horford look old, but KP's return this healthy has negated that advantage. He's the biggest X factor out there.

Jrue and White is an all-defensive backcourt, but Dallas has been shredding some pretty impressive defensive backcourts. Dort/J-Dub/Shai in OKC, then Jaden/Ant/NAW in Minnesota. Even if you like Boston's backcourt best, it's not like this is the first time Dallas is seeing elite defensive guards in this playoff run.

Dort JW and Shai aren't as capable to defend Kyrie as White and Holiday can. Shai is a good defender but he's not a stopper. I didn't see him trouble Kyrie. J Williams a decent defender, but he's not quick enough for Kyrie and a bit small to defend Luka. Celtic's combination of White Holiday Brown and Tatum to defend Luka and Kyrie is unmatched in the league. We saw that tonight.

Dort murdered Luka in game 1. Kyrie averaged 15ppg in that series and struggled with J.Dub and Shai.
I believe White and Jrue can do big things on defense in this series, but I'm not giving them all the flowers after 1 game.

[AussieCeltic]

Tatum learned two years ago what Edwards learned this season.

LeBron carrying teams for years and people loving it has got people obsessed with having one dude carry their team all season.

It’s absurd.

How can you watch that game and think Tatum simply has to score more???

He missed some shots but his unselfishness led to easy 3s for the Celtics all night.

Mavs don’t have a chance at defending that.

Generally casual fans just appreciate scoring. Surprised to see we still have a bunch of those on "hardcore" basketball forum like RealGM. Tatum played beautifully tonight, just made the right and non-flashy plays.

Agreed. Just look how the load up on Tatum when he gets the ball. The Mavs were bringing the weak side defender to the strong side of the key. Almost playing a box and 1. Tatum did the right thing in attacking the paint and passing to the open shooter.

He turned it over a bit too much early but once he figured out what they were doing, he was fine.

FYI, this is exactly what Spo and Miami tried to do. The Tatum of old would’ve still taken 25 shots and not made the right pass.

[GrandTheftRondo]

I cannot believe the team that has been dominate all year was dominate in game one

But but Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are lockdown defenders!!!

They clamped the offensive juggernaut Wolves and the inexperienced Thunder.

[durden_tyler]

Thanks Boston! Covering pregame (6.5) in-play 1H (-11.5), halfitme (-17.5). That was freaking impressive.

[cupcakesnake]

Gafford/Jones/Washington being 3/5 of a starting lineup in an NBA Finals game is pretty crazy. Luke and Kyrie are gonna have to go crazy every game for them to have a chance. That's just not enough talent man.

Mavs fans have been saying that Lively is the key. OK. LMAO.

What's funny? Lively has been a defensive monster all playoffs long.

[turnaroundJ]

Celtics look impressive. Boy we are not ready for another 16 years of gloating about one championship if they do end up winning this one