Draymond Green, a proven NBA champion, has selected him as the favorite to win the 2024 NBA Finals.
On the Point Game Podcast, the Warriors forward and four-time champion talked about how the Dallas Mavericks have all the makings of a championship-winning team.
And if anyone is qualified to judge that, it’s definitely Green.
“Honestly, my favorite team right now is Dallas,” Green told The Point Game’s John Wall and CJ Toledano before the Western Conference finals began. “The reason I like Dallas is because they have everything it takes to win a championship.
“They have a wing defender, a big man, a couple of big men who can rotate. Dwight Powell isn’t even playing. Dwight Powell is a very useful big man in the NBA.” [He] He never stands on the court. So, when you look at their depth, Josh Green comes off the bench and can make a difference in the game. ”
In an effort to bolster his argument, Green also cited the threat of Tim Hardaway Jr. coming off the bench despite his poor form this year, particularly the guard’s shooting ability that can change the fate of a game in an instant.
The Golden State forward also said part of the secret to the Mavericks’ success is that they and star Luka Doncic, who scored 66 points, two of Dallas’ 108 points in Game 1 of the conference finals on Wednesday night. I think this is due to the performance of both Kyrie Irving and Kyrie Irving.
But Green said nothing is more important in determining Dallas’ outcome than Doncic’s mindset.
“When you look at Luka and Kyrie, when you look at what they bring to the game, they’re two of the hardest guys to guard in the league,” Green said. “They can score 40 points any day, but I think they both have the ingredients to get there. Now, I think it’s going to depend on Luka’s mindset.”
“Every time I see Luca this year, I say, ‘Damn. [is] Is Luka ready to win a championship? He’s defending and competing. But when is he going to do it? [doesn’t] When things are going well, when things are not going well, when the team is on a roll, are you still going to compete in the same way?
“I think that’s the next step for Luka. And I know he’s more than capable of doing it because he can do it all at once. So how much longer can he keep doing that?”
Green, who has been the Warriors’ on-court leader for more than a decade, rounded out his argument by praising Irving’s resurgence as a leader after a notable downturn in his career that put him at a disadvantage.
“And I think Kyrie’s leadership is great as well,” Green added. “I don’t think anyone would want to disrespect him considering everything he’s been through. Kyrie’s leadership is great.”
“When you watch a young guy like Kylie grow up who thought he was a leader, he failed miserably as a leader, and then he came out and said, ‘I failed, and I know why.’ Ta.
“When I watch him make corrections, I have nothing but respect for him.”
With the Mavericks now just three wins away from making their first Finals appearance of the Doncic era, Green’s prediction doesn’t look so bad.
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