Here’s what will define the series, on and off the court.
The NBA Finals begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday night in Boston on ABC. On one side, you have the Boston Celtics, making their second Finals appearance in three years and seeking their first championship since 2008. On the other side, it’s the Dallas Mavericks, who are making their first Finals appearance since they won in ’11. Let’s take a look at a few of the most significant factors in the series.
The Celtics got by just fine without Porzingis, with Al Horford sliding into the spot in the starting lineup he had occupied before Porzingis arrived this season. But Boston will be glad to have the additional depth that Porzingis's return will provide—and glad to no longer have to play Luke Kornet off the bench.
Porzingis is bigger and more athletic than Horford, which will be beneficial against a Dallas frontcourt that includes the bouncy 7'1" rookie Dereck Lively II. The biggest challenge for Porzingis will be when he is forced to switch onto Luka Doncic off of screens. Will he be mobile enough with his bum calf to keep the smaller Doncic in front of him?A big part of what makes this series so fascinating is that both teams are led by a pair of spectacular backcourt players.
Boston had one of the best defenses in the league in the regular season, ranking third in points allowed per 100 possessions. Porzingis’s return will give the Celtics a boost defensively, but the bigger question is how Boston will try to slow down Doncic and Irving. The Celtics have two great defenders in their backcourt—Derrick White and Jrue Holiday were both named second-team All-Defense this season—but both players are significantly smaller than Doncic.
Porzingis, who has not played since Game 4 of Boston's first-round series, will return for the Finals against his former team. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sportsdrawn criticismDan Gartland writes Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, and is SI’s pro wrestling editor. Dan holds a degree in Communications and Media Studies from Fordham University.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
UFL 2024: Five things to watch for in Week 8The Quinten Dormady-led Brahmas look to clinch a postseason berth this weekend when they host the Renegades on FOX.
Read more »
UFL 2024: Five things to watch for in Week 10St. Louis QB AJ McCarron's availability is up in the air for a game against San Antonio for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Read more »
NHL draft lottery: Five things to know before today’s drawingNHL: The San Jose Sharks will find out later today whether they will be able to draft Boston University star Macklin Celebrini
Read more »
2024 NBA Coaching Tracker: Suns ink Mike Budenholzer to five-year dealHere's the latest news surrounding the vacant head coaching positions in the NBA.
Read more »
Five Vital Things You Need To Do To See Northern Lights This WeekendI'm an award-winning journalist writing about the night sky and eclipses.
Read more »
Five Things ‘Gray Zone Warfare’ Needs To Fix In The Next PatchI write about esports, competitive games and the creator economy. I’ve been covering esports for over 10 years writing for many top publications and have provided consultancy services for some international brands entering the industry.
Read more »