The Dallas Mavericks will play the Boston Celtics on Monday. Boston currently holds the best record in the league, while Dallas is six games over .500. The Mavs have done an impressive job of staying afloat amid all of their injury concerns.
Monday's game will prove to be a challenge for the Mavericks. It will go a long way in determining how this Mavs team can fare against a potential NBA Finals contender. Dallas can learn a lot about themselves from the game.
While speaking to reporters on Friday at practice, head coach Jason Kidd addressed the Mavericks' upcoming clash versus the Celtics.
“I think they're one of the best teams in the league,” Kidd said. “They are well-coached… (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown being able to score, (Kristaps) Porzingis, you look at (Derrick) White, he's playing at a high level. They are a very talented team so it's going to be a great test for us on Monday.”
What Mavericks can learn from Celtics game
The Celtics obviously feature a talented roster. Jayson Tatum is one of the best players in the NBA and will likely draw MVP consideration. Jaylen Brown continues to perform well for Boston.
As Kidd noted, Derrick White has played at a “high level”, and the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis has also paid dividends. Additionally, Jrue Holiday has stepped into the point guard position and played an important role for the team.
But the Celtics offer more than just star-power. Their roster is deep, with role players such as Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser giving Boston impactful minutes.
Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber also spoke to the media on Monday and revealed what it will take to defeat the Celtics.
“Playing hard, physical… set a tone,” Kleber said. “Just going out with the right energy.”
Kleber was also asked if the Mavericks can evaluate their team by the results of Monday's game.
“I think everybody does. It's been like one year where we had a good run and the next year everybody tries to come in here and try to test us. I think the same thing happens to Boston. They play really good basketball, that's why they are where they are.”
Dallas' potential trade deadline plans
The Mavericks are a contending team. They have been linked to forwards like Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Kuzma in trade rumors, however. Dallas also may look to add depth at the center position.
On Friday, Kidd was asked if he could evaluate the Mavs as a team so far.
“I think… we have the potential to be a really good team,” Kidd said. “Being healthy is going to be key. Shooting the ball is also going to be key… Shooting is a big thing for us, we're a team that shoots a lot of threes.”
Jason Kidd understands that health is the most important factor for the Mavs.
“The sooner we can get healthy the better off we will be.”
With that being said, Dallas could still look to make a trade. It is something that is not guaranteed to happen, but Dallas is expected to inquire about certain players. They were previously linked to Pascal Siakam before he was traded to the Indiana Pacers.
If the Mavericks can play a quality brand of basketball on Monday versus the Celtics, then perhaps they won't be quite as aggressive ahead of the trade deadline. Defeating a team like Boston would certainly spark confidence for Dallas.
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