The Celtics have one of the most balanced starting units in recent history. The quality of their top six has been the key factor in much of their success, as they’ve steamrolled the competition to make the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks took a much different path, adding two new starters at the trade deadline and going 21-9 with that group to finish the regular season. They’ve found great buy-low complementary role players to fit alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
There is a lot of talent on both rosters. Who has the best player in the series, and where does the overall talent advantage lay?
Here are the top 12 players who will see time in the 2024 NBA Finals.
It’s a testament to the skill level of these teams that Gafford is No. 12 on this list. He’s had some of the best highlights in these playoffs.
Gafford knows his role and he performs it well. He’s a great leaper who can protect the rim with vicious dunks and finish off lobs. His pick-and-roll attack with Doncic has been one of the best weapons for the Mavs.
Washington was a pretty good scorer in Charlotte, but his defense could be up-and-down. The Mavericks challenged him to lean into that end of the floor after trading for him, and he has answered that call.
Washington is a streaky 3-point shooter who was hitting them at a good clip in earlier rounds of the playoffs. His shot abandoned him at times in the Conference Finals. He will be open in these Finals and has to knock those looks down.
Horford is turning 38 a few days before the Finals start, but he’s still a very good role player. He’s stepped in admirably into the starting lineup while Kristaps Porzingis has been out with a calf injury, hitting open 3s and providing good defense in drop coverage.
Horford’s aging legs might be a bigger issue in this series. He will have to get out to Doncic and Irving on ball screens.
Jones has been one of the best stories of the playoffs. He was one of the last players signed in free agency, coming to Dallas on a one-year minimum contract. That has turned out to be one of the league’s biggest values.
Jones has been one of the Mavericks’ better defenders, using his length and athleticism to disrupt some of the best players in the playoffs. Dallas will need him on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Jones has also become a much-improved 3-point shooter, drilling his corner looks throughout the year. And the former Slam Dunk champion has had some breathtaking lob dunks from Doncic that have changed the momentum of games.
This is the last year that Lively will be coming off the bench. He’s been better than Gafford as a defender, finisher and passer in the short roll. Both play the same role as athletic bigs who can’t space the floor well, but Dallas missed Lively’s superior rim protection at the tail end of the Conference Finals after he suffered a nasty neck sprain in Game 3.
Holiday has embraced a new role with the Celtics. His scoring is down, but he’s mostly used to space the floor these days. He’s turned into one of the league’s best corner 3-point shooters, hitting 59.8 percent during the regular season.
Holiday’s defensive impact cannot be overstated. He made the All-Defensive Second Team and has taken a variety of assignments, even anchoring the team’s 2-3 zone from the middle.
White made the All-Defensive Second Team as well, helping Boston form the best defensive backcourt in the league. He’s the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA and is a great on-ball defender.
White has taken on more and more offensive responsibility, running his fair share of pick-and-rolls and becoming a dynamite 3-point shooter. He’s the league’s best glue guy.
The Celtics are going to need Porzingis in order to win this series. His pick-and-pop ability is going to throw a wrench in the type of coverage that the Mavericks like to play.
Porzingis has also become the most efficient post scorer in the league, which is a far departure from his time in Dallas. He gets to the line by forcing contact and is more selective about attacking against mismatches.
Porzingis’ defensive impact has been immense this season. His height is a major deterrent on drives, and he blocked 1.9 shots per game during the regular season.
Brown was awarded the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals thanks to his 29.8 points per game during that series. He was the Celtics’ best player during the 2022 Finals as well, coming up with clutch plays when the team needed it most.
Brown is having the best defensive season of his NBA career. He’s paying more attention away from the ball, which used to be a weakness of his. And his size and length make him a good on-ball stopper. He will likely be tasked with the Doncic matchup to start the series.
Irving has embraced his sidekick role, letting Doncic run the offense and taking over when he’s on the bench. He’s still one of the best ball handlers in the league, capable of generating a great shot whenever he wants.
Irving has also been a much-improved defender during these playoffs. Once thought of as a liability, he’s given great effort and locked down opponents one-on-one.
MORE: Kyrie Irving has been a perfect fit next to Luka Doncic
Tatum has contributed a little bit of everything during these playoffs. He’s been a big-time scorer, leading the Celtics with 26.0 points to go along with 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
Tatum gets a lot of criticism for his shot selection, mostly because he is dynamite when he gets to the rim. When he sets his mind to going downhill, he is impossible to stop.
Tatum is underrated as a defender. He’s been a big plus there for Boston, helping them to the second-best defense during the regular season. He is well-deserving of his First Team All-NBA status.
If there was any doubt before about Doncic’s status as one of the best players in the league, there shouldn’t be anymore. He has been brilliant in these playoffs, elevating his game even higher than his terrific regular season performances. He was well-deserving of the Conference Finals MVP — he’s been the best player of these playoffs.
There is no good coverage to stop Doncic. He beats them all because of his tough shotmaking, size and unbelievable court vision. The Thunder and Timberwolves both had some of the best personnel in the league to stop his pick-and-roll attack. It did not matter — he has eviscerated All-Defensive players and the Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert to get to this point.
Doncic is going to continue to be brilliant on the league’s biggest stage. The Mavericks are going to be underdogs in this series, but having No. 77 on their side is going to give them a chance in every game.
