Basketball fans can rejoice!
The NBA Final between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks will tip off Thursday night.
Boston cruised into the postseason, winning 64 games in the regular season and immediately dominating everyone in front of them throughout the playoffs, including sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and beating down the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Dallas Mavericks, who missed the playoffs last year, hit their stride late in the season, clinching the fifth seed out West. The Mavs have persevered through the best Western Conference playoff teams, including a really good Oklahoma City Thunder team and an even better Minnesota Timberwolves.
The first game of this NBA Finals can of course be a pivotal moment that will shape the rest of the journey for both teams.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have always been in championship conversations but never truly grasped the Larry O'Brian. They came close in 2022, but fell short to the Golden State Warriors in six games,
While it's Luka Doncic's first time in the NBA Finals, the All-Star guard will be looking to cement his legacy as an NBA Champion.
Will Boston raise championship #18 or will the Mavericks win their second in franchise history?
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Tatum-Brown or Doncic-Irving
There are a lot of different elements in this series to consider coming into Game 1.
Jayson Tatum has come on slowly for the Boston Celtics, finally finding his game in the series against the Indiana Pacers. But will he show up against Dallas in this best-of-seven series?
Jaylen Brown has been dominant all postseason long, and in some ways, carried Tatum. Both will have to be on the same page, as they will be facing arguably the best dynamic duo in the NBA.
How will Kyrie Irving's return to Boston play a role in this series?
Irving played from 2018 to 2021 with Boston and it's no secret how fans of the team feel about the All-Star point guard after things ended rather unceremoniously for Kyrie and the Celtics.
Still, he would be looked upon by the Mavericks fans for his veteran leadership and clutch gene throughout the series.
And you can't forget about Luka Doncic, who has played superbly in the postseason, hitting big shots all throughout; but will the lights be too bright on the NBA's biggest stage?
Front Court Play
(Photo : Elsa/Getty Images)
Can Dallas' frontcourt hold on against the Celtics, who have a savvy veteran in Al Horford and a returning Kristaps Porzingis?
The Mavericks drastically improved their front court halfway through the NBA season by trading for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, now playing alongside rookie Dereck Lively II, who has been playing exceptionally well throughout the playoffs.
The Mavs' big men have all been reliable though the postseason, but how will they match up with Celtics' Porzingis factoring back into the equation?
Porzingis is familiar with how Luka Doncic and the Mavericks like to play, having spent time with the franchise from 2019 to 2021.
Can Kristaps Porzingis swing this series for the Celtics?
Throughout the regular season, he came on as a third scoring option behind Tatum and Brown, doubling as an elite rim protector and rebounder as well.
Final Verdict
The Celtics have been better all season long. They've managed to dominate their way throughout the postseason, and it's hard to imagine a world where they dont pull out the victory against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
The Prediction: Boston Celtics in 6 Games
Here is the schedule for the NBA Finals and where to watch each game
Game 1: Thursday, June 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston (ABC)
Game 2: Sunday, June 9, at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston (ABC)
Game 3: Wednesday, June 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas (ABC)
Game 4: Friday, June 14, at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas (ABC)
*Game 5: Monday, June 17, at 8:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston (ABC)
*Game 6: Thursday, June 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas (ABC)
*Game 7: Sunday, June 23, at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston (ABC)
*If necessary
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