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The Boston Celtics are four wins from their franchise's 18th NBA championship. The Celtics' last hurdle are Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Dallas Mavericks. Both organizations haven't captured a crown in the last decade, and both teams are very hungry to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy. While Boston has been dominant all season, many pundits still have some doubts about them, in part because the path through the Eastern Conference Playoffs was littered with injured stars.
The Celtics didn't have to face Jimmy Butler or Terry Rozier in the first round. Jarrett Allen missed the entire second-round series, while Donovan Mitchell missed part of it. Tyrese Haliburton missed much of the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston has only lost two games so far in these playoffs, giving them optimal time to rest up, especially for Kristaps Porzingis. Battling the Mavericks will be no joke after the Western Conference champs beat some impressive competition during their run to the NBA Finals, and it's expected that this will be an all-out war for the elusive crown.
Porzingis is expected to return in Game 1 after missing most of these playoffs with a calf injury. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were outstanding in the Eastern Conference Finals, so everything seems like it's on the right track for Boston. However, there is one particular fatal flaw that could cost the Celtics the championship.
Stagnancy on the offensive end
There's no doubt that the Celtics are one of the top offenses in the NBA today. The five-out style of head coach Joe Mazzulla has been fantastic for the past couple of seasons because the extreme spacing and overall firepower makes them so hard to defend. Being an excellent offensive squad begins with the superb talent that Boston has built, and that starts with the foundation of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The ability of this incredible duo to break down defenses and constantly attack the rim opens up a multitude of opportunities for their teammates. Derrick White enjoyed an All-Star-caliber campaign, while Al Horford continues to be a steady presence despite playing an excessive number of minutes recently with Porzingis out. Jrue Holiday has also really picked his game up in these playoffs. These performances would not have been possible without the selflessness of Tatum and Brown.
Even with all these positives about the Celtics' prolific offense, it's also their offensive stagnancy that's the main cause for their crucial losses. When Tatum is dribbling the ball in an isolation set with less than 10 seconds left on the shot clock, that brings a huge smile to the opponent. The rationale for this is because everyone is standing around and Tatum will likely attempt a contested step-back three or a forced midrange jumper. Boston's inability to swing the ball around often occurs in the latter stages of the contest when the stars have the tendency to dribble too much.
However, the Celtics showed hefty improvement in the Eastern Conference Finals in late-game execution. White's clutch triple in Game 4 sealed the series, while Horford's corner three in the last minute of Game 3 catapulted Boston to another triumph. Both of these brilliant plays were executed because of the willingness to dish it out by Tatum and Brown.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are known to be better closers than Tatum and Brown, so Boston must welcome the challenge and fight through the adversity. Tatum and Brown's arsenal shows they are more than capable to thrive in late-game situations, so this is their time to prove it at the highest level.
The ancillary pieces of the Celtics are also not afraid to attempt crucial shots in the final minutes, but they will only be involved if the ball does not stick too long in the hands of Tatum and Brown. Boston's doubters will not stop bringing up their clutch-time production until a championship is won, so now is the time to shut them up for good.
