SUMMARY
- Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are scheduled to face each other in the 2024 NBA Finals starting June 6.
- Doncic along with Kyrie Irving are a much bigger threat offensively, but Jayson Tatum and the Celtics' versatility will be what gives the Eastern Conference team the upper hand.
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are scheduled to face Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals. Things are going to get really interesting based on the paths these teams have had to post-season success. Earlier in the season, the Mavericks were struggling with injuries but they somehow picked up the pace and secured the fifth seed in the Western Conference with 50 wins and 32 losses.
DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. BOSTON CELTICS FOR THE NBA FINALS! 🏆
WHO YA GOT? đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/cJWy4OA6oS
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 31, 2024
On the other hand, the Celtics remained dominant throughout the 82-game stretch finishing with the best record in the league. Now in the playoffs, the Celtics have only played significantly weaker teams or groups that barely matched the intensity they play with. But the Mavericks have dominated teams ranked higher than them with better rosters as well. This might be the first time in the postseason that the Celtics will face adversity.
Luka Doncic’s scoring capacity trumps Jayson Tatum’s overall game
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have been absolutely dominant through the postseason averaging 28.8 points and 22.8 points per game respectively. The duo combined for an average of 59.4 points per game during the Western Conference Finals. Offensively, both players are major threats to the Celtics. Both individuals can easily finish through contact and they also have range and consistency.
The Mavericks at practice today as they prepare for their NBA Finals matchup vs the Celtics đź‘€
(via @JoeyMistretta_) pic.twitter.com/7Hduw6rwjp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 2, 2024
Jayson Tatum hasn’t been the greatest scoring option on the Celtics’ roster but he definitely has an Irving-esque player behind him at all times, Jaylen Brown. Tatum has been averaging 26 points per game in the playoffs while Brown has been putting up 25 points per game. Consistency between both players can be a problem at times. Doncic and Irving are capable of scoring 30 points each at any given point, while the Celtics’ duo has shown to be slightly inconsistent at times.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are targeted to win the 2024 NBA Finals
Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum’s teams are both almost on par with each other. For the Mavericks, players outside of the starting backcourt have the potential to score but often find themselves pushing the pace on defense. Dallas tends to dump scoring duties on Doncic and Irving rather than bringing out balanced efforts from players of all positions.
Both teams are defensively strong considering they each average between 5 to 6 steals and blocks per game. The Mavericks and Celtics both have at least three players who shoot over 2 three-pointers per game as well. But the Celtics are favored to win this matchup due to the versatility that their roster carries.
⏳ pic.twitter.com/QnciXlUEMp
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 1, 2024
Every player on the Celtics’ roster can switch from offense to defense at any given point. Their entire starting lineup averages double-digits in scoring, meaning if either Tatum or Brown fails to show up offensively, players like Derrick White can easily fill in. Boston ensures to execute minor plays to bring out good defense. It’s not always forcing turnovers, steals, and blocks that prove how good a team is defensively. They are a legitimate problem for the Mavericks and could win the series in six games.