2024 Playoffs: Around the League NBA Finals News Thread

[Mori Chu]

Figured we should have an official thread for the Finals. So here it is.

[Carno]

Yawn

[Mori Chu]

It sounds like Porzingis may return to play for Boston in Game 1:



Meanwhile, Stephen A. Blowhard thinks Boston needs him to win:

[ShelC]

There's the Book vs Tatum debate that's raged for years so I feel like Suns Twitter doesn't want to see him win a title but his talent and level of play never bothered me. Luka winning with Dallas would suck because they're legit rivals to us and he's a guy we obviously should've drafted.

[Split T]

I think Boston needs KP to win as well

[Flagrant Fowl]

I agree. Their chances of winning without KP are very small.

[TOO]

Interesting, I like Jrue on Doncic, he's a different animal. Horford has been pretty good, especially for an old guy, I think Boston can definitely win without Porzingis.

[Split T]

I do think Jrue can give Doncic some problems…I have less faith in Horford holding up night after night. If he has to play 40 minutes they will be in trouble…Horford would be awesome for us though.

[TOO]

Yeah he'd be incredible here lol. Their BWS back up big isn't terrible either, I'd take him over Poobanks.

[Mori Chu]

Porzingis looks absolutely nasty so far in Game 1. The Mavs are having a lot of trouble stopping him. 8 points already.

[AmareIsGod]

Portzingis going off my Gawd.

[Mori Chu]

37 - 20 Celtics on top after the 1st quarter. Porzingis going absolutely nuts. I don't love the Celtics but I love seeing the Mavs get their asses kicked.

[Mori Chu]

Celtics doubling up the Mavs, up 58-29. Wow.

[TOO]

Dallas is gonna get dog walked at this rate.

[TOO]

Great defensive team that can bomb 3s on you are tough to beat. That was all Boston.

[Mori Chu]

Mavs came almost all the way back to make it interesting, but then the Celtics steadied themselves and pulled away again. Final score, 107-89. Celts in general looked very strong. Porzingis 20 and 6; Tatum 16-11-5; Brown 22 and 6. Luka had 30 for the Mavs but nobody else had more than 14. Kyrie shot 6-19. In general the Celtics backcourt of Holiday, Brown, and White put great defense on the Mavs' offensive initiators.

[BKinSJC]

In general the Celtics backcourt of Holiday, Brown, and White put great defense on the Mavs' offensive initiators.

The thing that sticks out in the box score is that the Mavs only had nine assists as a team; Luka got to 30 but they made him do it on 26 shots and he had only one assist. I think the Celtics will live with that kind of Luka game every time.

[TOO]

Luka also got abused defensively all night, Boston has the guys to keep going at him, keep attacking him and then make him beat you on the other end, they're gonna wear him out.

[Mori Chu]

Luka also got abused defensively all night, Boston has the guys to keep going at him, keep attacking him and then make him beat you on the other end, they're gonna wear him out.

You're right. These clips are some good examples of it:

[Mori Chu]

Just in terms of team/roster construction, it is noteworthy that the Celtics top 3-4 guys are all strong on both ends of the floor. They don't have a guy who is a strong scorer but a total sieve on defense, nor a defensive bulldog who can't hit a shot or get a basket.