The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will begin their conquest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy on Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 pm EST. It will be an interesting matchup of superstars, role players, style of play, and coaches from the sideline. We will provide a comprehensive preview of the series in an upcoming article and make our predictions later this week before tip-off. However, it is important to understand the context of the season and why this is an interesting clash based on the road traveled to get to this point. In this article, we will detail the three things you need to know about the teams involved in the 78th edition of the NBA Finals.
1. Celtics Roster Solidified in off-season-Boston ended the 2022-23 season disappointingly after failing to make it to the NBA Finals. The Celtics squandered the opportunity of avenging their NBA Finals loss to the Warriors by losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics lost home-court advantage but rattled off three straight wins to even the series. However, the team lost Jayson Tatum early in Game 7 and failed to pull off the unprecedented comeback. The team entered the off-season with questions on whether they would return with the same roster or whether wholesale changes were needed. Brad Stevens retained his core by re-signing Jaylen Brown to a 5-year 286-million-dollar extension. However, to shake things up Stevens traded the captain, Marcus Smart, in a 3-team deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. The minor renovation was completed right before training camp when the team acquired Drew Holiday from the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, and two first-round picks.
2. Boston dominated the field in the regular and postseason- the Celtics were among the favorites to win the title by the oddsmakers, but there were doubts whether the players could make the sacrifices necessary. The first sacrifice was made by AL Horford, who had played the previous 16-year career as a starter, to accept the role as the team’s sixth man on the bench. Horford thrived in his role by averaging 11.6 points, 3.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds which equals or exceeds his numbers from the previous season. The Celtics became the most dangerous team in the league because of a lethal starting group that was in the top 5 in defensive and offensive efficiency. They jumped out to a 20-5 record before a West Coast trip in December culminating in a dominant performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day. Still, the team had tripped up against the Golden State Warriors on the trip and exorcised their demons on the first Sunday in March with a 52-point win at home. The Celtics were closing on the best record in the league, and it allowed their starters to rest while the field battled for seedings. The advantage of resting players has proven pivotal in the playoffs where Boston has faced a team without Jimmy Butler, Donavan Mitchell, and Tyrese Haliburton for all or part of the series. These key players picked up injuries because of the heavy usage and playing important games when the Celtics were resting. Still, the Celtics capitalized by boasting a 12-2 record entering the finals and ten days rest before they welcome the Mavericks at the TD Garden.
3. Mavericks Revamped Roster Leads to Blistering Pace-unlike the Celtics, Dallas was still unsettled in their roster construction entering the season. The front office was still looking to put the right piece around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after a disappointing end to the regular season. The trade for Kyrie Irving appeared to be a mistake after the team fell from a playoff seed to out the number 11 seed with a 38-44 record. In fact, the Mavericks were fined $750,000 for resting players to improve their chances at a lottery pick in the 2023 draft. The costly paid dividend because the Mavericks were able to draft Dereck Lively in a swap with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lively has lived up to his name as an energetic big man who is a constant lop-threat and shot blocker for the Texas franchise. However, the team struggled to compete with the top teams in the Western Conference. After a February 3 loss to the Bucks, the Mavericks were 26-23, and the front office needed to change the roster to salvage the season. Right before the trade deadline, the team acquired PJ Washington in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The package sent to Charlotte included Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a top-two protected first-round pick in 2027. In the other deal, the Mavericks acquired Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards by sending Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first-round pick. The moves electrified the Mavericks after finishing the season with a 21-9 record and moving from the 8th to the 5th seed in the Western Conference. The team has gelled with the Doncic and Irving duo delivering stellar performances flanked by wings in Derrick Jones and Washington with Gafford and Lively to deter action in the paint. It has been a winning formula in knocking out the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Minnesota Timberwolves without facing a Game 7. The hottest team in the league will now play the best team all year for the right to be called NBA Champions.