Dallas' run to the NBA Finals is impressive.
The Mavericks beat the 51-win Los Angeles Clippers, 57-win Oklahoma City Thunder and 56-win Minnesota Timberwolves with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving starring and a capable cast of know-their-role guys providing support, including trade-deadline acquisitions P.J. Washington from Charlotte and Daniel Gafford from Washington.
Since the deadline the Mavs have been one of the best teams in the league, showing marked improvement offensively and defensively. They rely on Doncic’s playmaking but they have other capable scorers, make enough 3s and love alley-oop lobs.
Boston is a force. The Celtics possessed the NBA’s best offense and No. 2 defense and had a league-best 64 victories. When Kristaps Porzingis is in the lineup, the Celtics have the best starting five in the league and are the best two-way team in the league. They have multiple scorers, led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and it’s not unusual for a third player (Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Porzingis) to score 20 in a game. Defensively, they have size, strength and length and two All-Defense selections in Holiday and White. They come at an opponent several different ways, and the pressure is constant.
The Celtics like their 3s, and they’re proficient at making them. When 3s are going in and Brown and Tatum are both in the 20s, the Celtics are tough to beat.
Here are USA TODAY Sports' NBA experts' picks and predictions for the 2024 Finals:
This potentially will come down to which duo plays better: Kyrie and Luka or Tatum and Brown? But the X-factor is Kristaps Porzingis. If he can give them anything after coming back from a 10-game absence because of a calf injury, the Celtics should hoist banner No. 18, because they are just too deep and too good.
Celtics in six
The Celtics had a fairly uncontested route to the NBA Finals, facing the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, all of whom were missing major star power, including Jimmy Butler (Heat), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers) and Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers). But the Celtics will face a superstar pair in Doncic and Irving. The series will be a close one, but the Mavericks have the closers to get this done.
Mavericks in six
I believe in underdogs – and particularly in Luka’s ability to break hearts.
Mavericks in seven
The Celtics have too many offensive weapons and too many defensive options so unless their offense takes a dip for an extended time, the Celtics will win the title.
Celtics in six
Here are the betting odds for the NBA Finals, per BetMGM:
Celtics: -225
Mavericks: +180
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