Luka Doncic set the early tone for the Mavs in Game 4, scoring 25 of his 28 points in the 1st half to extend the series.
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BOSTON — Two explanations are put forward before Game 5 of the NBA Finals:
1. “Well, we wanted to win at home anyway.”
And:
2. “No one expects us to be here, so we have nothing to lose.” »
Take a wild guess and match the above to the correct team. One of them will turn out to be correct. Either there will be crazy foot traffic well after midnight Monday on Causeway Street, across from TD Garden, or this series will receive an unexpected, even seismic, jolt and move to Dallas.
The Boston Celtics look to finish the job, the Dallas Mavericks hope to start a discussion. These are the issues facing two teams who approach this match from different angles and mentalities.
With the elimination and buzzards circling overhead, the Mavericks will be looking for the usual: tone from Luka Doncic, a big finish from Kyrie Irving and contributions from everyone else.
The Celtics? The deepest and most dominant team in the NBA this season simply has to live up to its credentials.
Here are four things to watch for in Game 5 on Monday (8:30 a.m. ET, ABC) as the Celtics look to close out the game – and the Mavericks hope to make it interesting.
1. Tatum and Brown seem to be two a lot
When this duo is in sync and harmonizing, the Celtics are nearly impossible to beat. It’s not exactly headline-grabbing, but it highlights what the Celtics need most to make Monday a night to remember.
However, that hasn’t really been the case in this series, with the exception of Game 3, where Brown and Tatum were superb on both ends, totaling 61 points (their teammates scored 45) and were two a lot to manage.
The Finals MVP could very well be up for grabs between the two if the Celtics win on Monday, although it will take a good game from Tatum to remove any doubt. Either way, this is the moment they’ve been waiting for since they became teammates and reached the 2022 Finals. If the Celtics win, it will be up to them.
2. Irving maintains his winning streak
Finally, his long professional nightmare is over: Kyrie Irving wins a victory over the Celtics. Until Game 4, he was winless since stomping on the Celtics midcourt logo on his return in his first game with the Brooklyn Nets, which is now ancient history.
He’s a new man and he’s on a new team, his third since leaving the Cavaliers who helped him win his only title in 2016. It’s clear that to extend his winning streak to two, Irving needs to match or surpass Luka Doncic, who has been by far the Mavericks’ most consistent star.
“As an athlete, you want to have another opportunity, and he has that opportunity here tomorrow night,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “I hope he can take full advantage of it. Make some adjustments and go back to games 1 and 2 and see what they were doing to him defensively and hopefully take advantage in game 5.
Dallas could especially benefit from a big fourth quarter from Irving, who normally has this responsibility; Luka is more of an installer. And this match could very well be close.
Irving’s last two games – in fact, the last six quarters – have been a huge improvement over Games 1 and 2 where he was soft. His shot started to fall, he found his strengths on the court, he got his teammates involved.
“I think to silence even self-doubt, let alone crowd doubt, but self-doubt when you make or miss shots, that’s just as important as making sure I’m running the team in the right way,” he said. said.
“I try to pay attention to the positive things that got us wins here earlier in my career, but also think about the things I can learn from the performances I’ve had here that I haven’t played up to it. It’s just about being honest about it, just breathing in the experience and having fun with it.
“I think to silence even self-doubt, let alone public doubt. When you make or miss shots, that’s just as important as leading the team the right way.”
Kyrie Irving opens up about the pressure of playing in Boston 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/CxMEFDYduz
— NBA (@NBA) June 16, 2024
3. The return of Porzingis?
When the TD Garden scoreboard showed Kristaps Porzingis exiting the locker room after his teammates were already in the layup line, the crowd erupted. This happened in Games 1 and 2 and Porzingis made an impact on both ends for the Celtics.
A freak leg injury, don’t we all? – has sent him back to the bench since then. But he has authorization from the medical staff to play if the situation requires it.
And it’s possible – the Mavericks and especially Derek Lively II are enjoying the paint in his absence.
If Porzingis goes for another spectacular entry on Monday, it will be a good sign for the Celtics.
4. X Factor Roll Call for Monday
The following paragraphs are a Luka-Tatum-Brown-Kyrie-free zone. These are not the main stars; these are candidates who could make a difference – with timely and unexpected actions, like a steal, a big move or another contribution.
• Jrue Holidays: Whether he guards Kyrie or Luka or both, his presence will be essential – these players desperately need to win. And if he needed any extra motivation, Holiday is coming off a poor performance in Game 4.
“I’m a competitor,” he said. “Just take it on the chin, come back and get ready for Game 5.”
•Derrick White: Shooter and big shot creator, regardless of the circumstances or the time on the clock, White will not automatically delay if the ball finds him in this situation.
• Tim Hardaway Jr.: After being a ghost throughout this series – in fact, for the last three months or so – Hardaway took advantage of the downtime in Game 4 and sizzled from deep, making 5 of 7 shots. Maybe ‘he just came back into the rotation, maybe?
“He looked like Ray (Allen) and Steph (Curry),” Kidd said. “So we’re going to need it here in Game 5.” If it’s a close game, I hope he’s able to knock down those same shots, get those same shots. But it was great to see Timmy make those shots. I hope he can build on that.
•Daniel Gafford. He has expressed remorse for his mistakes and for not playing up to his standards in this series, and now Gafford promises to bring a different energy. The dunks on pick-and-rolls and rim protection that have been evident since he arrived in Dallas following a midseason trade will need to make a return. He is encouraged by his result in the fourth game.
“I scored a few baskets down the stretch, got some blocks, it gave us a lot of energy at that point because I felt like I was doing something to make an impact and help the team. team to win,” he said. “It was a breath of fresh air.”
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can send him an email here, find his archives here and follow him on.
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