The Celtics swept their way into the 2024 NBA Finals, and awaited for the Western Conference Finals to go an extra game before the Dallas Mavericks blew out the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five last night. This set up the first time the Boston Celtics will meet the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Playoffs.
The 2024 NBA Finals are scheduled to start on Thursday, June 6th at 8PM EST. This highly anticipated series will feature the champions from the Eastern Conference (#1 Boston Celtics) and Western Conferences (#5 Dallas Mavericks) facing off in a best-of-seven showdown to determine the 2024 NBA champions. The NBA Finals will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded Boston hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 at TD Garden while there will be three games (Games, 3, 4, and 6) at American Airlines Arena in Dallas.
The Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics secured their spot in the Finals after a dominant playoff run by sweeping the Indiana Pacers 4-0. While it was a close series, they really toyed with them like one with games at JetX. The Celtics finished the 2024 regular season with an impressive record of 64-18 – the best record in the league and easily securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. It’s worth mentioning they finished a whopping 14 games ahead of the #2 team in the East, the 50-32 New York Knicks.
The team is led by NBA all-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who both had another standout season, the Celtics demonstrated exceptional defensive strength and depth bolstered by new additions Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Holiday and Derrick White’s defense in particular is underrated and was a major factor behind Boston’s contention this season. Under the guidance of head coach Joe Mazzulla’s calm and relaxed demeanor (is he taking delta 8 gummies? asking for a friend), the Celtics’ consistent and dominant performances throughout the regular season has given them a relatively leisurely stroll through the Eastern Conference and into the NBA Finals.
The Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks had a remarkable second half of the 2023-24 season, finishing with a 50-32 record and securing the fifth seed in the Western Conference – they are one of the lowest seeds ever to advance to the NBA Finals in league history.
Led by the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks transformed their roster at the trade deadline by acquiring key players Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington, which bolstered their defense and overall team performance. Doncic’s prodigious play earned him All-NBA First Team honors and the Western Conference Finals MVP, while the team excelled under head coach Jason Kidd’s leadership. The Mavericks’ playoff journey included impressive victories over higher-seeded teams in each series, ultimately leading to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.
I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to the intense competition that the NBA Finals brings out of these talented hoopers. We can expect star-studded performances from Doncic, Irving, Brown and Tatum, but which players will go down in franchise lore for stepping up when it counted the most? Will it be Jrue Holiday or Washington? What about Derrick Lively or Payton Pritchard? We got money on Derrick White or Porzingis (if he plays). In any case, there’s going to be some thrilling moments as the top teams vie for the coveted NBA championship trophy. Make sure to mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 6th.
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