(Photo : (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)) INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 27: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
The NBA Finals are upon us!
The Dallas Mavericks are set to take on the Boston Celtics starting Thursday night.
Both teams do hold a few question marks coming into the Finals based on what we have seen so far throughout the postseason. Here are some significant questions that will likely get answered through the course of the series.
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Will Jayson Tatum Come Alive?
This year’s postseason could have been a bit better for Jayson Tatum, even though he has overall performed pretty well.
Despite a handful of big performances, the Boston Celtics All-Star has yet to look his best throughout the playoffs.
Tatum came alive throughout Boston’s series against the Indiana Pacers, including a big-time closeout game in which he scored 26 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.
However, his play against the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers left much to be desired, as he differed most of those two series to Jaylen Brown’s hot hand.
The question is, which Jayson Tatum will show up in the Finals this time? If the Celtics hope to raise championship #18, Tatum must show up significantly for Boston.
Can Luka Doncic Keep it Up?
(Photo : David Berding/Getty Images)
Luka Doncic was born for this moment.
The basketball prodigy who went pro at 16 will have the chance now to write his name in the history books as a champion.
This will be the first NBA Finals that Doncic will be playing. Through his already impressive career, one must wonder how well he will perform under the brightest of lights.
He has already had MVP-like performances in each series leading up to the Finals, which would likely continue for the star Maverick.
Now on one of the biggest stages, Luka Doncic must continue his stellar play, as the scoring load will likely fall between him and Kyrie Irving, in hopes of winning his first championship.
Will Size Matter?
The Dallas Mavericks frontcourt has managed to oppose their will throughout most of this year’s postseason.
Their frontline consists of the promising rookie Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, who was acquired via trade this season from the Washington Wizards. Both big men have played a significant role in the Dallas Mavericks’ Finals run, protecting the paint and cleaning the glass for the Mavs.
The question is, can they maintain their excellent play up against the Boston Celtics?
The Celtics will be getting a big piece back in Kristaps Porzingis, who missed most of the postseason due to a calf injury.
He has played very well this season next to Tatum, Brown, and Jrue Holiday.
Porzingis has the skill set to make things difficult for the Mavericks’ big men throughout the series as he can space the floor well, taking Gafford and Lively out from protecting the paint.
What Will Be Kristaps Porzingis’ Health and Impact?
(Photo : Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The X-Factor coming into the series has to be Kristaps Porzingis for the Boston Celtics.
The Latvian big man will now be returning from an injury that had kept him out for most of the Celtics’ playoffs run.
Porzingis averaged 20.1 points along with 7.2 rebounds per game for Boston this year.
Kristaps Porzingis’ impressive ability to protect the rim, shoot, and score in the low post makes him a wild card.
At the same token, he might show signs of rust throughout the series that could make him a liability, especially against the Mavericks’ talented frontcourt, who are playing exceptionally well at the moment.
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