(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics have captured the first two games of the 2024 NBA Finals, and now the Dallas Mavericks, their opponents there, will head home for the next two games and try to figure out how to make things competitive.
Game 1 was not competitive at all — Boston got hot from 3-point range and opened up a big lead in the second quarter, then glided to a 107-89 win.
Game 2 was a little more contentious, and for a moment late in the fourth quarter, it looked like Dallas had a shot, as they pulled to within five points with just over a minute remaining.
James Jones said on FS1’s “Speak” that this series is “over” and that the Celtics are clearly the better team.
.@89JonesNTAF: The NBA Finals is over. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/xbvDwtHDb8
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) June 10, 2024
In some ways, the Celtics have been a bit deficient so far in this series.
Jayson Tatum, their best player, has shot a combined 12-of-38 in the first two games, and as a team, they shot an icy 10-of-39 from 3-point range in Game 2.
One of the marks of a great team is the ability to beat very good opponents even when not playing well, and that’s what the Celtics did on Sunday.
But the most impressive thing they have going for them right now is their defense.
While Luka Doncic has gotten his, he has had to work hard for his points, while Kyrie Irving is just 13-of-37 from the field so far.
Boston has done an admirable job of bottling up both of them after they have gotten past their initial defender while also shutting off passing lanes at the same time.
This series isn’t quite over yet, but it is difficult to imagine the Mavs coming back to win it.
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