2024 NBA playoffs roundtable: The largest questions remaining within the convention finals

The 2024 NBA Finals matchup may be finalized before we thought because the Dallas Mavericks took a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night time and the Boston Celtics look to shut out their collection towards the Indiana Pacers on Monday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

No workforce has ever come again from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff collection, however the Pacers and Timberwolves will try to take action as we head into this week of elimination video games.

Within the West, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have been an unstoppable duo, accounting for 77% of the Mavericks’ whole factors on this collection. In the meantime, Wolves stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Cities have struggled from distance, going a mixed 0-for-10 from 3 throughout Recreation 3.

Within the East, the Celtics are the clear favorites to make one other Finals look, posting a internet ranking of 11.4 via 13 playoff video games with an 11-2 document. And now, with out their star guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers should rally behind Pascal Siakam who’s averaging 24.7 factors, 5 assists and 6.7 rebounds within the convention finals.

Our NBA insiders break down the most important questions heading into these essential Recreation 4s, together with how Kristaps Porzingis’ return might additional shift Boston’s playoff run in its favor and the way ready Doncic and Irving’s Mavs will likely be in a possible matchup towards the Celtics.

MORE: Second-round recap | First spherical | Offseason questions

1. Which workforce ought to the Celtics be most involved to face within the Finals?

Dave McMenamin: The Mavericks. There’s solely a lot you possibly can scheme for when Dallas has two of the most effective on-ball abilities within the league. Doncic and Irving can end performs with both hand, shoot off both foot and use masterful handles to Houdini their approach out of nearly any defensive entice. Throw in Daniel Gafford, Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington, who play with the kind of pleasure and gratitude that comes from being kicked across the league a bit, and the Celtics have an actual drawback on their palms.

Tim Bontemps: Stylistically, I feel Minnesota would give Boston extra hassle due to the scale it might throw on the Celtics. However with the way in which Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are taking part in proper now, averaging 37.2 and 27.7 factors, respectively, on this collection, the Mavericks need to be the reply. They’ve scored no less than 30 factors in three straight video games changing into the primary beginning backcourt to take action previously 50 years. This duo paired with Dallas’ protection is one nobody ought to relish taking part in.

Ohm Youngmisuk: The Mavericks have two dynamic one-on-one scorers in Doncic and Irving. These two can match or exceed what Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown do, and Dallas has probably the most clutch of the 4 stars in Doncic, who leads the league in factors per recreation (33.9). On prime of that, Dereck Vigorous II and Daniel Gafford are two bigs who can defend the rim towards the Celtics and get bodily with Porzingis when he returns. The Mavs are related, well-coached and, with Doncic, can win towards anybody, wherever.

Kendra Andrews: The Mavericks. Doncic has been completely dominant to date, averaging 28 factors and 9.8 assists per recreation within the playoffs. The duo of Doncic and Irving will current the Celtics with two scoring threats they have not seen but within the playoffs. Dallas additionally has Gafford and Vigorous to battle down low with Boston’s bigs. General, the Mavericks have playoff expertise that the Timberwolves appear to lack and will give the Celtics some hassle.

Chris Herring: Dallas. At instances, Edwards has regarded a bit winded and impacted by the second, whereas Irving and Doncic — every playoff-tenured gamers — haven’t. Minnesota has an absolute grinder of a protection that led the common season with a ranking of 108.4. However, because the homestretch of the common season, the Mavs have proven they’ll make sufficient performs on that finish of the ground to carry their very own — their protection is second behind the Celtics within the playoffs.

2. Which function participant is making the most important affect?

McMenamin: It is laborious to choose a participant on a workforce trailing, however the Indiana Pacers’ T.J. McConnell’s contributions within the Japanese Convention finals have been so main that Jaylen Brown likened the backup level guard to Michael Jordan after he put up 23 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in a Recreation 3 with out Haliburton. And who is aware of if Indiana even makes it this far with out McConnell’s 20 factors and 9 assists in a Recreation 6 closeout win over the Milwaukee Bucks within the first spherical, or with out him averaging 13.5 factors on 61.9% capturing and 5.5 assists within the Pacers’ wins in Video games 6 and seven towards the New York Knicks within the second spherical.

Bontemps: What Vigorous is doing is nothing wanting unbelievable — averaging 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per recreation this postseason. He is a rookie who has grow to be a useful member of Dallas’ run via the West playoffs, all whereas coping with the demise of his mom in April. He exited Recreation 3 due to a neck sprain after contributing 6 factors and three rebounds. If the Mavericks shut this collection with the Wolves, they’re going to want Vigorous for the Finals, particularly in the event that they face a wholesome Porzingis again for the Celtics.

Youngmisuk: Derrick White continues to be one of the underrated gamers and finest function gamers within the league. He flies underneath the radar however does all of the issues that affect successful, averaging 17.9 factors per recreation this postseason, simply behind Tatum and Brown. The purpose guard can rating large if wanted, like when he had 38 factors in Recreation 4 towards Miami within the first spherical. He is an all-around participant who is without doubt one of the league’s finest defenders, distributes the ball (4.6 assists per recreation) and rebounds (4.1 per recreation).

Andrews: Jrue Vacation has come up large for the Celtics on two events this collection — in Recreation 1 towards the Pacers when he had one in every of his finest offensive nights with 28 factors and Jaylen Brown credited him for the win, after which in Recreation 3 when he obtained the successful steal with 3.1 seconds left. His presence has been instrumental for the Celtics and can proceed to be on each ends of the ground.

Herring: I hate to repeat, however it’s Vigorous. The Mavs have been a plus-106 with him on the ground previously eight playoff video games. It is not sensible that he is leaving this form of imprint on a deep playoff run as a first-year participant, however he has all the things to do with Dallas being two wins away from the Finals.

3. Are Luka and Kyrie ready to tackle Tatum, Brown and the Celtics within the Finals?

McMenamin: Let’s return a bit of bit to correctly body this matchup. Sure, the bracket says it is the East’s No. 1 workforce (and the No. 1 general seed) in Boston vs. the West’s No. 5 workforce in Dallas, however over the ultimate quarter of the common season, each groups went 16-4. Within the playoffs, the Mavs eradicated the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder with out home-court benefit and are on observe to defeat the Timberwolves. In the meantime, the Celtics have began every playoff collection at dwelling — all of which have been aggressive regardless of their opponents being decimated by accidents. The Mavericks have made a stronger case because the extra spectacular workforce previously three months.

Bontemps: Who would argue they are not? This has been a dominant stretch from Dallas, ripping off 5 wins in a row towards a pair of elite opponents, to maneuver the Mavs inside one win of their first Finals look in 13 years. Now, Dallas has to maintain enterprise Tuesday night time and provides itself as a lot relaxation as potential earlier than a probable date with Boston within the Finals.

Youngmisuk: So long as Doncic makes it out of the West finals comparatively wholesome, the Mavs’ duo will likely be ready to face the Celtics and may completely win all of it. Doncic has been banged up the complete postseason and takes a pounding every recreation. However it doesn’t matter what he shoots within the first three quarters, he turns it on within the fourth and may hit any shot, because the Wolves can attest to as Doncic hit the Recreation 2 winner. Irving could have an emotional return to Boston and be public enemy No. 1, however he appears to be in a significantly better area than when he performed with the Celtics and Nets — and that might spell hassle for Boston.

Andrews: With how Doncic and Irving have been taking part in these days, why not? The Celtics have been recognized to take their foot off the fuel at instances, as we noticed briefly towards the Warmth and Cavaliers. There have been moments on this collection when the Pacers might have taken management, and the place they’ve come up quick, I am assured the Mavericks would execute. If Dallas can shut out its convention finals collection in 4 video games, it ought to have the ability to no less than be aggressive within the Finals.

Herring: There’s not a lot else the Mavericks might present to show they’re prepared for a Finals matchup with Boston. Doncic and Irving are persistently defending higher than ever, they usually’re establishing their bigs to play extraordinarily nicely, averaging 9.3 and 5.4 assists, respectively, within the postseason. There are good function gamers up and down the roster, and you’ll’t assure something within the championship spherical, however I could not be extra impressed by how Dallas is composing itself at this stage within the recreation.

4. Will Kristaps Porzingis be ready to make an affect within the Finals?

McMenamin: Earlier than Porzingis exited the Miami collection early due to a calf pressure, he confirmed simply how impactful he may be within the three full video games he performed. In two wins, he averaged 18 factors whereas capturing 53.8% on 3-pointers, and within the Celtics’ one loss he scored 6 factors on 1-for-9 capturing (0-for-4 from 3). The Celtics have superior with Al Horford taking cost in Porzingis’ absence scoring 22 factors, 15 rebounds and three blocks in Recreation 5 of the convention semifinals towards Cleveland and 23 factors, 5 rebounds and three blocks in Recreation 3 towards Indiana. Porzingis will not need to do all the things for the Celtics straight away, however each the Mavs’ and Wolves’ bigs current a problem, so having the ability to present measurement down low might be the distinction within the Finals.

Bontemps: There are two objectives for Boston heading into Recreation 4 towards the Pacers: shut out this collection and, if Porzingis is ready to go, get his legs beneath him. With a full 10 days between Recreation 4 and the beginning of the Finals, there’s quite a lot of time for him to get proper, however that course of begins with a possible cameo off the bench behind Al Horford on Monday night time.

Youngmisuk: Even when Porzingis is able to go, I might err on the facet of being further cautious and let him relaxation earlier than the Finals with this present collection wanting like a possible sweep. Porzingis will have an effect within the Finals regardless of when he makes his return. Dealing with both Dallas’ bigs of Vigorous and Gafford or Minnesota’s Cities, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, Boston will want all the scale it might get and the power to stretch the ground to tug these bigs out of the paint.

Andrews: It will most likely take a second for Porzingis to seek out his rhythm once more, however there isn’t any cause he should not make an affect within the Finals. Porzingis has been an vital piece to the Celtics’ success all season — averaging 20.1 factors and seven.8 rebounds. Having him out there will enable Boston to evenly distribute minutes to its bigs, and if the Celtics shut out the convention finals in 4 video games, it’s going to give Porzingis loads of time to ramp again up in apply earlier than the Finals start.

Herring: Even when it takes him a little bit of time to get acclimated, sure; Porzingis can affect the Finals. His capacity to guard the rim — and the opposite areas of the courtroom, as we have watched Indiana carve up the Celtics from the paint and midrange — is extremely significant. And that is with out factoring in what Porzingis can do as an environment friendly post-up choice. Boston would a lot moderately have him than not have him, even when it takes a recreation or two to shake some rust.

5. Which workforce has probably the most to lose?

McMenamin: Boston. If the Celtics capped a sixth Japanese Convention finals look previously eight years by stalling out with one other NBA Finals loss like in 2022 (or, doing the unthinkable by dropping 4 straight to Indiana and never even making it to the Finals), their complete course of will likely be referred to as into query. Endurance barely exists in professional sports activities, and there could be stress to make main changes straight away to recover from the hump. Not one of the different three groups to achieve this stage this spring would face the identical penalties.

Bontemps: Everybody has one thing to lose being this near an NBA title, however the simple reply right here is Boston. The Celtics have been within the convention finals in six of the previous eight years and have had a ton of heartbreaking postseason exits. They acquired Porzingis and Vacation this previous offseason to raise them over the hump. And they’re the heavy favorites among the many 4 remaining groups to win the title. That is their finest likelihood to win all of it by an extended shot.

Youngmisuk: When a franchise wins 64 video games coming off a 57-win season and a Finals look the season earlier than that, it expects to get to the NBA Finals once more and win all of it. Nothing much less. The Celtics, although, have moments after they do not appear like that regular-season juggernaut. If Boston would not win all of it after its dominant common season and falling quick in earlier years, it will likely be a large disappointment — particularly with the defending champion Denver Nuggets and MVP Nikola Jokic already bounced from the postseason.

Andrews: The group consensus is the apparent reply: the Celtics. They’ve been to the convention finals probably the most out of this group and have been working in “win now” mode for a number of years. While you have a look at the opposite three groups left, all of them nonetheless have room to develop — particularly the younger Timberwolves and Pacers. Dallas is in solely its second yr with this group and has a while earlier than successful a title turns into pressing. If the Celtics are eradicated, they’ll have some severe soul-searching to do.

Herring: Boston, with out query. With Haliburton dominated out, the Celtics are actually in a 3rd consecutive collection through which they’ve confronted an opponent that is down one in every of its two finest gamers. Boston would possibly by no means get this away from a title shot once more. We have reached a degree at which we take the Celtics attending to the convention finals as a right, however well being is rarely a given, as these playoffs have proven. They need to make this run rely.