2024 NBA Finals: 5 questions on a Celtics-Mavericks matchup that will be worth the wait

After a pair of blink-and-you-missed-’em conference finals, we’ve now arrived at the final approach to the top of the NBA mountain. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics will take on the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, which will tip off at TD Garden at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 6.

If you’ve consulted a calendar recently, you might’ve noted that “Thursday, June 6” is a full week away. We here at Yahoo Sports are committed to helping you kill that time (we’re really considerate like that) and will be serving up all manner of writing, podcasts and videos to help you get ready for the grand finale of the 2023-24 NBA season.

For now, though, we offer a bit of an amuse-bouche — not a full-fledged series preview, but something to nibble on before dinner is served. Here’s a handful of things I’m thinking about as we get set for Celtics-Mavericks with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy on the line:

The Mavericks and Celtics will meet in the NBA Finals, starting on June 6. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

Have the Celtics even gotten warmed up yet?

Yes, Boston was the beneficiary of some good fortune in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A spate of injuries meant the Celtics opened the playoffs against a Miami Heat team without longtime nemesis Jimmy Butler; advanced to face a Cleveland Cavaliers squad without ace rim protector Jarrett Allen and, eventually, both All-Star point guard Donovan Mitchell and reserve guard Caris LeVert; and moved on to a conference finals against an Indiana Pacers side that contested the final 2.5 games without All-NBA facilitator Tyrese Haliburton.

But for all the discourse about where Boston’s romp through the East ranks among the friendliest paths to the Finals in NBA history, it’s worth noting that the most experienced, seasoned and flat-out best C’s team we’ve seen in this era has done what they’ve needed to do: namely, win three series in just two games over the minimum.

Their first loss came on a night when Miami set a franchise playoff record for 3-point makes; their second came in an…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-31 04:27:23

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