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The 2024 NBA Finals will be played between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. Of course, the Finals are the pinnacle of success in basketball's top league, so it makes sense that both teams competing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy are stacked with talent.
If these teams didn't have great depth and tons of star talent, they simply wouldn't be here. Players truly make a name for themselves at the biggest stage, though, and all eyes will be tuned into every game between Boston and Dallas. The stars will certainly put on a show, but both teams will need their role players to step up if they are to come out as champions.
To give fans a better feel for who could step up in this championship series, we decided to rank each player on each team's 15-man roster. We've already seen big moments from a number of players on both teams in the postseason, but we likely haven't seen the best from either team yet. The 2024 NBA Finals is sure to be a classic, so without further ado, here are the power rankings of each player eligible to play in the Celtics vs. Mavericks series.
29. Jordan Walsh, Celtics
The Celtics drafted Jordan Walsh in 2023 because of his ability on the defensive end. The rookie out of Arkansas has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and if he pans out, he has the potential to be a lockdown defender with the versatility to guard a number of positions going forward. However, that is unlikely to be the case in the NBA Finals. Walsh saw only 83 minutes of court time in the regular season, and he is unlikely to play in the Finals unless there is a blowout.
28. Jaden Springer, Celtics
Like Walsh, Springer hasn't played a ton for the Celtics. He did see more court time than Walsh in a shorter amount of time, though, which prevents him from ranking last on this list. Springer was a trade deadline acquisition for Boston, who, like Walsh, has major potential on the defensive end. The fact that the Celtics traded for the guard so recently means that they do like what he offers them long term, but he is unlikely to be impactful in the Finals.
27. A.J. Lawson, Mavericks
A.J. Lawson was signed to a two-way contract for most of the regular season, but Dallas converted his deal to a standard-contract late in the campaign, therefore making him eligible for the playoffs. Lawson hasn't done much for the Mavericks this season, but they valued him enough to give him a chance to make an impact in the postseason.
26. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Mavericks
Dereck Lively – a 2023 first-rounder of the Mavericks – has made a name for himself as a rookie. Lively's successes in year one has made a lot of people forget that Dallas actually brought in two first-round picks, with Olivier Maxence-Prosper being the other player drafted early.
The 24th pick played his college basketball at Marquette. He has been more of a developmental project, so he hasn't contributed much to the Mavericks championship run. In fact, he only has one minute of playoff action to his name. Prosper's raw potential is what keeps him above the players below him on this list.
25. Svi Mykhailiuk, Celtics
Svi Mykhailiuk likely won't get off of the bench in the NBA Finals, but he is a capable player who can thrive shooting the three-point shot if he does.
24. Oshae Brissett, Celtics
Oshae Brissett was more valuable to the Indiana Pacers than he has been to the Celtics, but he has a chance to win a championship ring this year. His statistics across the board are the lowest they've been since his rookie season, but the Celtics don't have as great of depth as the Mavericks do, so one injury could unexpectedly thrust Brissett into action.
23. Markieff Morris, Mavericks
Most of the players ranked outside of the top 20 won't see many minutes in the NBA Finals, if any. Markieff Morris is one player who could, though, thanks to his veteran presence and experience in big games.
Morris has 50 career postseason games to his name, 22 of which he started in. The forward even won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Morris hasn't played in the postseason this year, but head coach Jason Kidd turning to a reliable veteran in an important moment is not out of the picture.
22. Xavier Tillman, Celtics
Even with Kristaps Porzingis missing most of the playoffs so far, trade deadline acquisition Xavier Tillman has not had as big of an impact as many Celtics fans would have hoped for. The big man has only played in six of the Celtics 14 postseason games so far. Even so, Tillman is a high-motor, highly physical player who isn't far removed from being an occasional starter for the Memphis Grizzlies. If Joe Mazzulla needs to bring in a physical presence, Tillman is an option.
21. Luke Kornet, Celtics
Luke Kornet might be known by many as the player who contests jump shots from under the rim, but what has gone under the radar is that the center has had the best season of his career playing for the Celtics this year. Kornet's numbers don't jump off of the page, but he set career highs in minutes (983), points (334), and rebounds (261).
Kornet has played some backup center minutes in these playoffs, but with Porzingis set to return, he will likely be glued to the bench in the NBA Finals. Still, Porzingis has an extensive injury history, and if he suffers from any lingering issues from his latest injury, Kornet may be asked to step up once again.
20. Dwight Powell, Mavericks
It's a testament to the Mavericks' depth that Dwight Powell ranks this low in the NBA Finals power rankings. Powell has 250 starts and 650 games played to his name, all but five of which came with the Mavericks. Coincidentally, Powell's five games of action outside of Dallas early in his career came with the Celtics, which adds one more revenge narrative to a series filled with them.
The center was the team's starter at the position as recently as last season, but Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford have been brought in within the last year. Maxi Kleber returned from injury just in time to help Dallas in the Finals. Now, Powell sits as a fourth-stringer on the Mavericks' depth chart at the center position. Powell is one of the longest-tenured players on his respective team in the entire NBA.
19. Maxi Kleber, Mavericks
Maxi Kleber missed the entirety of the Mavericks' second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he didn't return from his shoulder injury until the final game of the Western Conference Finals. His return gives the Mavericks a stretch big option to play if their interior-minded centers – Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively – don't perform up to expectations.
18. Dante Exum, Mavericks
Dante Exum was a key reserve for the Mavericks in the regular season, and he even spent some time starting for the squad while Kyrie Irving was dealing with an injury. Exum hasn't been as big of a factor in the postseason, as he is only averaging 6.4 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Still, Exum has appeared in 16 of Dallas' 17 postseason games, meaning he still has the confidence of Jason Kidd. The guard is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and with as much explosive talent as Boston has, he will likely be counted on to slow down the Celtics' best players at some point.
17. Jaden Hardy, Mavericks
Jaden Hardy is a young and exciting player for the Mavericks. His scoring pop makes his potential sky-high for the team. But for now, he serves as an energy player off of the bench who is capable of providing a scoring punch and is counted on to provide energy.
16. Sam Hauser, Celtics
Every team needs a three-point specialist. Sam Hauser doesn't do much besides launch deep balls, but that is what the Celtics need him to do. And he is pretty good at it, too.
Hauser was making 2.5 threes per game at a 42.4% clip in the regular season. As his minutes have dropped in the postseason, so has his efficiency from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-8 shooter seems bound for a big game from deep soon, though.
15. Josh Green, Mavericks
With Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic being so ball-dominant, the Mavericks have had a need for three-and-D players who don't need the ball in their hands. Josh Green is just that. He is a low-usage player who will play hard on the defensive end and hit the open shots that are needed from him on offense.
14. Payton Pritchard, Celtics
Payton Pritchard is a gritty player who makes the winning plays that helped make the Celtics become the best team in the league this season. He is much more than just a hustle player who does the dirty work though, as he is more than capable as a shot-maker.
13. Tim Hardaway Jr., Mavericks
Tim Hardaway has seen his minutes and production decrease since the Mavericks made a number of big moves at the NBA trade deadline. He has even collected some DNP-CDs during the postseason, and it is possible he won't see the floor much in the Finals. Even so, we can't ignore the fact that the score-first guard averaged 14.4 points per game during the regular season.
He has lost favor in Dallas because of his streaky play style, which has shot the team out of games before. However, he is just as likely to have a scoring outburst that saves his team as he is the opposite.
12. Dereck Lively II, Mavericks
Dereck Lively was one of the best rookies in the NBA this year. He protects the rim, he can finish alley-oops, and he is an excellent rebounder. These traits were all beneficial in helping the Mavericks improve to championship contenders this year. In Dallas' rotation, he and Daniel Gafford are somewhat interchangeable.
11. Al Horford, Celtics
Al Horford has been a productive player in the NBA for a long time. He will turn 38 before the start of the NBA Finals, and he is in year-17. Horford hasn't been able to add a ring to his resume, though, as the big man ranks third all-time in playoff games played (181) without a championship to show for it.
Horford isn't the All-Star caliber player he once was, and that is why he ranks outside of the top 10 here. He is still a valuable piece who does all of the little things and can stretch the floor.
10. Daniel Gafford, Mavericks
Centers rank back-to-back-to-back in these rankings, and the competitiveness at that position will surely be a highlight of the Finals. We give Daniel Gafford the nod in these rankings over Al Horford and Gafford's rookie teammate, Dereck Lively. Gafford has been everything that Dallas hoped for when they traded for him at the NBA trade deadline. He is a play finisher who can clean up the glass and set mean screens.
9. Derrick Jones Jr., Mavericks
Derrick Jones Jr.'s transformation from a highlight reel dunker only to a high-quality starter in the NBA has been enjoyable to watch. Jones' athleticism is still on display, and it is a nice compliment to more below-the-rim players like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Jones has become such a valuable player though because he is an elite point-of-attack defender who is also now much more capable as a three-point shooter. Defensively, Jones Jr. often gets the Mavericks' toughest defensive assignment.
8. P.J. Washington, Mavericks
P. J. Washington has taken his game to new heights since being traded for at the NBA trade deadline. Washington has always been impressive as a scorer, but he has played a different role for a contending team like Dallas.
The forward has spent more time as a corner shooter, and he has been great at knocking down big shots in that role. Additionally, Washington has stepped his game up defensively, and he has been a big reason that Dallas' defense has been one of the best in the league since he joined the squad.
7. Jrue Holiday, Celtics
Jrue Holiday made the All-Star Game as recently as last season. He is also considered one of the best guard defenders in NBA history. Therefore, him ranking as low as seventh for the best players in the NBA Finals is shocking.
His ranking should not be taken as a dig, though, and instead it serves to show how much talent will be in this Celtics vs. Mavericks series.
6. Derrick White, Celtics
Jrue Holiday ranks inside of the top 10 for 2024 NBA Finals players largely because of his defense, which means Derrick White has to rank above him. Not only has White also been elite defensively, but he has provided a little bit more than Holiday as a scorer.
White has averaged 17.8 points per game in the playoffs, and he has been unconscious from three-point land in the postseason. White didn't make the All-Star Game like many pleaded for him to this year. He was instead rewarded with being named to his second straight All-Defensive Second Team.
5. Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics
Kristaps Porzingis is a star, so X-factor isn't usually a term used to describe him. That is exactly what he is in these Finals, though, as the Celtics advanced this far despite the big man missing the entirety of the last two series. Porzingis has been dealing with a calf injury that he suffered in round one, but he is set to return for Game 1 of the Finals.
Boston has proven that they can win without him, but adding a former All-Star ahead of a championship push certainly won't hurt. Porzingis is a unicorn player because he can hit the deep ball and put the ball on the floor despite standing 7-foot-2. Porzingis' rim protection will also improve an already impressive defensive unit.
4. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
The four best players in the NBA Finals are four of the best players in the entire league. There are plenty of teams in the NBA in which Jaylen Brown would be the team's best player, but there will be three players who are arguably better than him in this series.
Brown is still a superstar, though. His two-way talent is rare for a star, he has the athleticism to thrive as a slasher, and his jump shooting ability makes him a true three-level scorer. Jayson Tatum is widely viewed as the best player on the Celtics roster, but Brown isn't far behind, and he even won the Larry Bird Trophy awarded to the best player in the Eastern Conference Finals.
3. Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
Kyrie Irving is arguably the greatest ball-handler in NBA history. He also has a case as the best rim finisher in league history. Being so elite at two attributes is incredibly rare, but it is only part of the reason that Irving will be playing in the Finals yet again.
Irving is a well-rounded player, and his pairing with Luka Doncic has worked wonderfully despite a lot of critics questioning the fit when the guard was first traded to the team from the Brooklyn Nets. The 2024 NBA Finals will be Irving's fourth appearance in the championship series (although he missed most of the 2015 Finals with injury). The Mavericks will count on his experience at the highest level.
2. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Alongside Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum is one-half of one of the best duos in the NBA. Together, they have made it to at least the conference finals five times. They have come just short of winning it all, though. There isn't much separating Tatum and Brown, but Tatum is more of the 1A to Brown's 1B.
Tatum finished fifth in MVP voting this year, and while he wasn't perfect at the start of the postseason, he seemingly got back on track in the Eastern Conference Finals. He is both a tough shot-maker and a great defensive player.
1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks
During this run to the NBA Finals, Luka Doncic has made his case as the best player in the world. Most would still give that honor to the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, but Doncic has been incredible all year long, especially in these playoffs. He has thrived despite dealing with a number of nagging injuries.
Doncic finished in second place in MVP voting behind Jokic in the regular season. He averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists during that time. Doncic plays at his own pace, but he is nearly impossible to guard, and every shot he puts up has a chance of going in. His offensive game is clearly generational, but he has even picked it up defensively in the postseason.
