NBA Finals 2024: Celtics and Mavericks Journey to the Championship

By Edcel Panganiban June 03, 2024 13:03

So as up-and-down a playoff season as it's been for the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, they've each still managed to play great at times – and boy, hasn't the path that led them here made this the best finals story ever? This guide will dive into how those teams reached the championship, as well as the star performances along the way.

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Boston Celtics: It all began with Dominance and Determination

The Boston Celtics had the best regular-season record in the NBA, finishing with a mark of 64-18. They were pretty impressive en route to the finals, as they swept the Miami Heat, the Cavs, and the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Have honestly shown determination and teamwork second-to-none, hopes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown alone to expose a potential bid to the NBA Finals.
Notable Performances:
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics had a breakout star in Jayson Tatum, who chipped in with 30.3 points per game versus the Pacers. A solid 10.4 rpg chops too, a key cog in the wheel helping the Celtics find their way into finals.
Jaylen Brown proved that he could be an athletic game-changing presence throughout the postseason, averaging 25 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.

Dallas Mavericks: Adversity

No one believed the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks could reach the NBA Finals, but they played with a lot of heart to get there. The Mavericks impressed plenty the hard way, surviving an arduous trio of opponents in the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves en route to the title series. Led by on-court virtuoso Luka Doncic, the Mavs are doing the unthinkable and attempting to go on a title run.
Standout Performances:
Mavericks: Luka Doncic has been tremendous in these playoffs and is even averaging a team-leading 9.6 rebounds in the series. Both his leadership and play on the court have been crucial in the Mav's run to the finals.
Racing from the ball with a three-point percentage of 42, Derrick White has been able to leave his mark on a more secure role while averaging 17.8 PPG and 4.6 APG.
Key Matchups and Predictions
The Celtics and Mavericks are now poised to meet in the NBA Finals, setting the stage for what should be an all-time clash between two powerful forces of the future. The presence of a strong regular season team in the form of the Celtics, and a team built with the game’s metadata for the playoffs in the Mavericks makes for an interesting NBA Finals that will feature not only the most standing-out performances with the thespian-type aura of the world of NBA.

In the End

To sum it up, a Celtics-Mavericks NBA Finals 2024 would bring pleasurable basketball as both teams have the ability and the spirit to shine. Those star players will headline a combination of experience and burgeoning talent that should set the scene for an exciting championship series — one that basketball fans, eternally hopeful after a five-year run of non-competitive NBA Finals, around the world can get excited to watch.