of Boston Celtics From the start of the season, they were expected to play in the 2024 NBA Finals. Dallas Mavericks Just a few months ago, it would have been unimaginable that the team would get to this point.
The Celtics were the most dominant team in the NBA this season from start to finish. Boston won a league-high 64 games and finished the season with the league’s best point differential of +11.4, four points better than any other team. Boston eased through the Eastern Conference and into the NBA Finals due to injuries on other teams, but still posted a 12-2 record in the playoffs and won the conference championship.
The Mavericks needed a mid-season infusion of talent to make this run possible. Dallas was ranked eighth in the Western Conference at the trade deadline on February 8, when the team traded two future first-round picks and acquired forward P.J. Washington and center Daniel Gafford in separate deals. The Mavericks went 21-9 after the trade deadline and rose to fifth in the Western Conference as a 50-win team. In the playoffs, Dallas defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, and then the fourth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the third round. Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals.
We all know Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are the two biggest stars of the 2024 NBA Finals. Where do the others rank? Here are the 15 main rotation players for the Mavs vs Celtics NBA Finals.
15. Payton Pritchard
Pritchard is the first and only guard to be benched in Boston’s playoff rotation. The Celtics selected him 26th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and now in his fourth year, he has been a solid shooter and playmaker. The 26-year-old is a career 39.5% 3-point shooter and has 281 assists and 61 turnovers this year, mostly doing the job of getting the ball to talented teammates. If Pritchard is playing more than 10-15 minutes per game in the Finals, something terrible has happened to one of Boston’s starters.
14. Josh Green
Green comes off the bench and brings athleticism, pressure on the ball, and a bit of spot-up shooting to the Mavericks. The 18th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Green is a wing with off-ball speed and great leaping ability around the rim, and in his fourth year, he continues to develop into a more well-rounded player. He has made great strides as a shooter since being drafted by Dallas, shooting over 38% from three-point range in each of the past two years. Green can throw a really nice pass at times and be a big threat in transition. Green’s impact and efficiency may wax and wane, but a good game or two from him in this series will greatly improve Dallas’ chances as an underdog.
13. Maxi Clever
Kleber has long been something of a secret weapon for the Mavericks as a small-ball center. The 32-year-old missed the second round with an injury but returned for the final two games of the series against Minnesota. Dallas will need his skill set against Boston more than any other opponent, given the Celtics’ ball-handling prowess. Kleber is Dallas’ best option as a center to maximize the space on offense while switching screens. A career 3-point shooter close to 40 percent, Kleber is a player the Mavs have relied on in key moments, and that could mean he will once again earn Jason Kidd’s trust in their biggest series yet.
12. Daniel Gafford
Gafford is a high-flying shot blocker who made some great plays during Dallas’ run to the NBA Finals. He gives the Mavs an athletic center who can protect the rim for the full 48 minutes, and also gives Luka Doncic another great lob threat on the offensive end. Gafford sometimes loses his position after putting up a block, but the team has performed much better without him on the court so far in the playoffs.Playoff net rating: -15.7(Via Basketball-Reference) Still, acquiring Gafford was clearly a smart move by the Dallas front office and is the real reason the team has had such a successful run.
11. Derrick Jones Jr.
Was there a better minimum contract player in the NBA last offseason than Derrick Jones Jr.? The forward joined the Mavericks from the Chicago Bulls this summer and quickly emerged as Doncic’s key player. Jones is a top-tier runner and jumper with a slam dunk contest trophy under his belt. He’s also a skilled perimeter defender, a capable spot-up shooter (34.3% on 3-pointers this season) and an occasional secondary rim protector. Surrounding Doncic with explosive athletes was a smart move.
10. P.J. Washington
Washington was the biggest winner of the NBA trade deadline, helping the Mavs reach the NBA Finals from the terrible Charlotte Hornets. The 25-year-old Washington is a tall, powerful forward at 6’7″ and 230 pounds with a 7’3″ wingspan, giving Dallas physical strength both on the field and off the field. Washington can handle a variety of defensive assignments, hunt for rebounds and score efficiently inside the arc. His 3-point shooting has been shaky and spotty (31.4% in the regular season with Dallas and 36.3% in the playoffs), and he will need to make shots from deep to give the Mavs a chance to win the series.
9. Al Horford
At 38, Horford still plays winning basketball. Now in his 17th year in the NBA, Horford is Boston’s No. 2 big man behind Kristaps Porzingis. Horford has shot extremely well this season (42% on 3-of-4 attempts per game), keeping the Celtics’ five-out offense alive. He’s also very smart in his positioning as an interior defender and shot blocker, even though he’s recovered slower. Boston is happy to have Porzingis back because Horford performs best when he’s more rested in a smaller role. The spaced-out schedule before the Finals should benefit him.
8. Derek Lively II
Late last season, the Mavs publicly cut back to preserve their draft picks, resulting in a lottery selection of Lively. It was a great move. Lively’s athleticism, rim protection and lob finishing are a perfect match for Doncic. Though only 20 years old, Lively has already made a big impact in playoff games as a player who can both erase teammates’ mistakes defensively and score efficiently from the rim. His ability to return to peak form after suffering a “neck sprain” (that looked like a concussion) in the conference finals will be key to Dallas’ chances.
7. Kristaps Porzingis
Trading Marcus Smart for Porzingis in the offseason was a masterful move by Boston front office leader Brad Stevens. Porzingis gives the Celtics a 7-foot-3 shooter who can get the most out of a five-and-out lineup. He’s also improved significantly as an inside scorer and rim protector since his two seasons ago with Dallas. Porzingis has missed the last five weeks with a calf strain, and how he handles upon his return to the lineup will determine whether the Celtics can play at their highest level.
6. Jrue Holiday
Holiday became available late in the offseason in the Damian Lillard trade, and the Celtics jumped on him to solidify their talented starting lineup. Holiday does everything Smart did for the Celtics and then some. He’s the NBA’s version of a lockdown corner, a strong, smart defender with sharp hands. He’ll fill Doncic’s shoes in Boston, where Doncic is a big player. He said Holiday is the best defender he’s ever seen. He needs to be at his best defensively while avoiding the odd offensive pattern he sometimes falls into in the playoffs.
5. Derrick White
White has blossomed in Boston as a defensive guard, a good driver with the ball in his hands, and a sure-footed shooter. He took such a big leap this season in terms of overall impact that I seriously considered ranking him third on this list. He averaged 40% on 8.4 three-point attempts per game in the playoffs, was second on the team in assists per 100 possessions in the playoffs, and was a strong, smart defender all season. Acquiring him in a trade with the Spurs a few years ago transformed the Celtics from a good team to an elite one.
4. Kyrie Irving
Irving is one of the best ball-handlers and toughest shooters in NBA history, and he’s back at his best with the Mavs. The 32-year-old is averaging nearly 23 points per game in the playoffs, has a great three-point shooting style (42.1 attempts on 6.3 attempts per game), creates easy opportunities for his teammates, and brings incredible defensive intensity. Irving already made the biggest shot in NBA Finals history during his time in Cleveland. He’ll probably be a little more motivated when he faces his former team, the Celtics. If he can be the third-best player in the series, the Mavs have a good chance of winning.
3. Jaylen Brown
Brown has been considered a rollercoaster player in the past due to not being left-handed, having an eye for the ball on defense, and being overly aggressive in trying to score for himself. While those traits still show up at times, there’s no doubt that Brown has played at a near All-NBA level over the past two seasons. The 27-year-old wing is a dominant downhill scorer and a strong on-ball defender who kept Boston moving on both ends of the court. He’s just coming off a Conference Finals win against the Pacers where he averaged 30 points while playing over 40 minutes per game. He’ll be facing some more athletic defenders against Dallas, and how he handles them will be a big deciding factor in this series.
2. Jayson Tatum
Tatum is arguably a top-10 player in the NBA. He has been named First Team All-NBA for the past three years due to his impressive combination of three-level scoring and strong defense. Tatum is at his best when he attacks the basket and is involved in the mid-range game, rather than when he is content with pull-up three-pointers. He will steadily improve as a playmaker, consistently contribute on rebounds, and play a key defensive role in guarding Doncic. Tatum’s shot selection can still be questioned at times when the game slows down in key moments, and he will need to avoid that in this series. Still, the 26-year-old can establish himself as one of the best players of his generation by leading the Celtics to a title.
1. Luka Doncic
Doncic is the ultimate NBA chess master, an unstoppable scorer and perhaps the best playmaker in the world. A 6-foot-8, 230-pound slugger and ball-handler, Doncic can break through any type of defensive coverage with his genius shooting and passing. The 25-year-old has been plagued by a leg injury for most of the postseason and has rarely been at his top level in these playoffs. That Dallas has made it this far is a testament to the team that has been built around him. After a lengthy break following the conference finals, the Mavs need Doncic to play like the best player in the world to win this series. In the NBA, good offense usually beats good defense, and Doncic has the ability to overpower all of Boston’s good defenders. Luka finally looked his best in Dallas’ Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, where he dominated Minnesota in the first quarter with a step-back 3-pointer and a powerful drive. The Celtics may have his best five in this series, but the Mavs clearly have the best individual player. Doncic has essentially overcome every challenge he’s faced on the basketball court so far, but a matchup against the mighty Celtics will be his toughest yet.
