By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla shut down the notion that the NBA Finals is going to be only about how his team does against Dallas Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
“So the whole thing is that’s what people like to focus on,” Mazzulla said. “They don’t look at the game as its connected game. If those guys play well, then they beat you. They don’t look at your offense, they don’t look at your turnovers, they don’t look at your transition, they don’t look at your second-chance points, they don’t look at your execution on the offensive end. The game is connected and it’s not going to come down on one thing.”
Doncic is averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists in the 2024 playoffs so far, all postseason-highs. Irving has 22.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
“This series is going to be about ‘stopping those two guys’,'” Mazzulla added doing an air quote gesture. “There is no stopping them. There’s defending them at a high level and there’s playing a complete game because every part of the game is connected. And so they’ve played nine close games, we’ve played four. There’s going to be close games.”
The 2024 NBA Finals begin on June 6 when the Celtics will host the Mavericks at home. Game 2 will also take place in Boston and then the series will move to Dallas for the next two matches.