Ranking the top 15 players for Celtics vs. Mavs in the NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston.
With both teams loaded with superstars, the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks may come down to which team has the best supporting cast.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are expected to do well for Boston, as are Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for Dallas, and while each will have their moments, they won’t be the deciding factors in this upcoming series.
The Celtics need Derrick White and Jrue Holiday to step up offensively while continuing to showcase their all-defensive talents against one of the NBA’s best duos, and they’re also hoping Kristaps Porzingis returns fully to provide rim protection and add another dimension to the offense.
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Dallas will rely on Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford to dominate Boston in the paint, while P.J. Washington will be expected to provide consistent scoring and Derrick Jones Jr.’s defense on Tatum and Brown will be key.
There are many influential players in this series, but how good are they? Here is the ranking of the top 15 players competing in the finals:
Hauser made big strides on both ends of the floor during the regular season, but has struggled in the playoffs. The 26-year-old came off a poor 0-for-10 performance in Game 4 against Indiana and finished the series a dismal 1-for-14 from three-point range. Now would be a great opportunity for him to get back to his form, where he shot 42 percent from three-point range.
Green, 23, was a solid bench wing in 3-point range and defensive capacity for Dallas the past two seasons. The 18th overall pick in the 2020 draft has steadily improved over his first four years in the league, especially as a playmaker.
Don’t be fooled by this ranking. Pritchard’s shooting ability and uncanny ability to grab rebounds despite his size will help Boston win the game. The Oregon native brings instant energy off the bench and could be a difference maker in this series.
12. Daniel Gafford, Mavericks
You’ve heard experts say the Celtics need Kristaps Porzingis to stay healthy to win this series, and Gafford is one of the reasons why. The 25-year-old big man can dominate the paint on both sides of the court with his fierce dunks and outstanding rim protection. Boston was vulnerable in the paint several times in the series against Indiana, and Dallas could have similar issues in the Finals if Porzingis isn’t at his best.
11. Derrick Jones Jr., Mavericks
Jones signed a one-year contract with Dallas during the offseason and turned out to be one of the best bargains in free agency.
The 27-year-old forward has been the unsung hero of the Mavs this playoff run, averaging 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game in 17 playoff games. As an excellent defender, he will play a key role for Dallas as they face off against Celtics superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
10. P.J. Washington, Mavericks
Outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Washington is the only Mavs player averaging double figures in points this postseason. The former Kentucky star has also shown notable defensive improvement since arriving from Charlotte. This series will likely come down to the supporting cast, and Washington will be important for Dallas as they try to pull off the upset.
9. Derek Lively II, Mavericks
Lively flew under the radar this season, finishing sixth in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, but his presence has been impossible to ignore in these playoffs. The 20-year-old gives Dallas an added threat in the paint with his rim protection and offensive finishing ability. He and Gafford could give the Celtics problems inside in this series.
Horford, who turns 38 on Monday, will likely return to the sixth man role once Porzingis returns. He filled in for Porzingis in the conference finals and averaged 12.8 points while shooting 46.2 percent from the field (39.3 percent from 3-point range). When he makes a string of 3-pointers, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with this elite Celtics offense.
7. July Holiday, Celtics
Holiday is a six-time All-Defensive Guard selection (he was named to the second team this year) and won an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. Boston’s prized offseason addition has taken a step back offensively as more scorers have been added to the roster, but he remains a relentless force defensively. The soon-to-be 34-year-old Holiday provided plenty of clutch defensive play against Indiana, averaging 18.5 points per game in the series. He’ll face his toughest test yet while holding off Doncic and Irving.
6. Derrick White (Celtics)
White, who was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team for the second consecutive year, has developed into one of Boston’s best all-around players since joining the team in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs in 2022. The 29-year-old White is not only a sensational three-point shooter, but also one of the best shot-blocking guards in the league. While all the attention will be on Tatum, Brown, Doncic and Irving, White is also an X-factor in this series.
5. Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics
Speaking of X-factors, Porzingis’ imminent return from a calf injury has been one of the biggest talking points heading into the series. Boston hasn’t slowed down in his absence, but there’s no doubt this team will be a different beast with him in the starting lineup. The rim protection from the 7’3″ Latvian will be much needed, and the Mavs will be in for a tough fight if he picks up where he left off offensively.
4. Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
Celtics fans are familiar with Irving after two tumultuous seasons in Boston from 2017-2019. Things didn’t work out with either the Celtics or the Brooklyn Nets, but the eight-time All-Star seemed reinvigorated by the opportunity to play alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas.
Irving is averaging 22.8 points and shooting 48.5% from the field (42.1% from 3-point range) in the playoffs. His contributions on the defensive end of the court are a big reason why the Mavs have made it this far. He’ll be booed loudly when he returns to TD Garden on Thursday, but C’s fans might want to tread carefully and avoid provoking opponents.
3. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Brown averaged 29.8 points and shot 51.7% from the field to be named Eastern Conference MVP. His stellar performance was the perfect answer to missing out on an All-NBA selection, and he’ll no doubt bring that extra motivation into the Finals. Brown is also playing the best defense of his career, making him one of the best two-way players in this series. His final defensive matchup against Doncic will be his toughest yet.
2. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
The Boston superstar is averaging 26.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists in this season’s playoffs. The four-time All-NBA selection and five-time All-Star is looking to bounce back from a lackluster performance in the 2022 Finals against Golden State, where he shot just 36.7% from the field. He works best when he’s aggressive at the rim, so if he can do that while improving his 3-point shooting percentage (29% in this season’s playoffs), he’ll be a front-runner for Finals MVP.
1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Doncic has been arguably the best player in the playoffs and some would argue he deserves the 2023-24 NBA MVP award. The Slovenian star averaged 33.9 points per game in the regular season and 28.8 points per game in the postseason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves had no way to counter Doncic, and while Boston has two of the league’s best defensive guards in Holiday and White, and Brown has prided himself on guarding the other team’s best player all season, that may not be enough to contain the league’s most dangerous scorer.
