GAME 2 NBA FINALS 2024: Dallas Mavericks (0-1) vs. Boston Celtics (1-0)

[omahen]

The Mavs playing checkers has gotten them this far. But the Celtics are clearly playing chess and the Mavs don't have an answer. Their simplistic offense just isn't working against a Celtics team that knows how to play great team defense while also having great individual defenders.

The iso-centric Luka/Kyrie offense just won't work against this team. And the Mavs role players are all programmed to run to their spots and wait for Luka/Kyrie to create something in a half court setting. When you don't have an offense based on ball movement and no one is in a rhythm to shoot then the Celtics can afford to leave them open. There's really nothing the Mavs can do...this is their system and it worked against the LA, OKC, and Minnesota. Maybe it would work fine against any other team in the East. But the Celtics are just too good and experienced to handle what the Mavs try to do.

I would argue that Celtics run basically same system as Mavs. Tatum or Brown were hunting missmatches every single time in halfcourt, mostly attacking Luka and sometimes Kyrie or center. They than distributed the ball to teammates who are all great players and know what to do with it, not just shoot it or pass it back. As Dirkfan said, Mavs have the best player, but Boston has next 4 or 5. I think you are underestimating how much better JRue and White are on offense compared to DJJ and PJ.

On the other end, Boston doesn't really have a weak link on defense as long as they are able to successfuly hide their centers, mostly on DJJ - connected to being able to successfuly play Tatum on our centers without giving up easy baskets or offensive rebounds. As Gobert has often been neutralized by 5-out offense, so will be our centers. Mavs will imho also need to find a way to hide Luka a bit. He can't be expected to guard Tatum one on one on every possession and then be the whole offense on the other end.