No staff within the historical past of the NBA Finals has ever blown a 3-0 sequence lead. Whereas the Boston Celtics know they nonetheless have to get yet another win to safe the 2024 NBA championship, they must be feeling fairly nice in regards to the place they’re in.
The Celtics had been the most effective staff within the NBA from the very begin of the season, and so they have the possibility to place the ending touches on one of the crucial dominant championship runs the league has ever seen. In case you depend the common season and playoffs, Boston is 79-20 this season coming into Sport 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals towards the Dallas Mavericks. There hasn’t been a sweep within the NBA Finals for the reason that 2018 Golden State Warriors took 4 straight video games off the Cleveland Cavaliers, however this Celtics staff seems to be primed to do it.
Most NBA champions are led by an all-time nice particular person participant. The wonderful thing about these Celtics is their impending championship has been very a lot a staff effort. Boston’s five-man beginning unit has been so cohesive at each ends of the ground all season. Al Horford has a case because the league’s most beneficial sixth man, and even Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet have made worthwhile contributions throughout these Finals. The Celtics have barely wanted Kristaps Porzingis to show this sequence right into a rout.
Right here’s how we might rank Boston’s candidates for NBA Finals MVP proper now.
3. Jayson Tatum
It’s simple to see this as a controversial choice even for the No. 3 spot. Tatum is and has been Boston’s greatest participant for years — a 26-year-old famous person who has been named First-Group All-NBA the final three seasons. Tatum’s play in these Finals hasn’t precisely been a coronation, although. He’s shot the ball terribly from the sector vs. the Mavs from the very begin, and thru three video games has an terrible 46.6 % true taking pictures share. To place it one other method, he’s wanted 64 subject purpose makes an attempt to attain 65 factors within the sequence.
Nonetheless, we’re placing Tatum forward of Derrick White and Al Horford as a result of he’s been the straw that stirs the drink for Boston. Tatum has been dedicated to driving the ball to the basket for a lot of the sequence, and that has set Boston’s offensive loss of life machine into movement. He’s additionally been a significant component as a rebounder and on the defensive finish, the place he’s spent loads of time guarding Dallas’ facilities so he can swap onto Luka Doncic at a second’s discover.
Tatum was teetering on going bozo mode within the fourth quarter of Sport 3, however his teammates made sufficient pictures late to bail him out. Whereas this has been removed from his greatest sequence, Boston has nonetheless wanted him to play big minutes and an enormous function to win.
2. Jrue Vacation
It’s arduous to separate the distinction on who has been extra impactful between Vacation and Derrick White, largely as a result of they work so nice collectively. White made a star leap this season and continues to be superb within the NBA Finals: he leads Boston with 11 made three-pointers, he’s been terrific defensively, and he made one of many largest performs of the sequence along with his chasedown block on PJ Washington.
I’m nonetheless giving Vacation the slight edge. Vacation put up a masterpiece in Sport 2 with 26 factors, 11 rebounds, and three assists on 11-of-14 taking pictures from the ground. Whereas his offense waned within the different two video games of the sequence, he’s been bringing it defensively from the opening tip of the Finals. His means to make life depressing for each Doncic and Kyrie Irving has been a saving grace for Boston all sequence. Vacation is so sensible, so sturdy, and so disciplined defensively, and he’s proving it on the sport’s largest stage towards a number of the greatest scorers alive.
Vacation’s 69.6 true taking pictures share thus far within the NBA Finals is beautiful — particularly for a participant who has a popularity for struggling offensively within the playoffs. That hasn’t been the case this yr, and it has the Celtics on the doorstep of a championship.
1. Jaylen Brown
Jason Kidd may need been making an attempt to separate the Celtics’ locker room when he referred to as Jaylen Brown the most effective participant on Boston after Sport 1. Whereas Tatum continues to be this staff’s main star, Brown’s fixed enchancment has made him a lot nearer to possibility 1b than No. 2.
Brown simply will get higher each season, and the entire world is seeing it within the NBA Finals. His left hand isn’t as a lot of a handicap anymore, and he’s develop into extra attentive in guarding off the ball. Brown additionally appears to have added extra craft to his downhill drives, his hanging finishes, and even his passing reads. His pull-up jumper within the last minute of Sport 3 iced the victory and warranted Boston wasn’t going to meltdown in epic style to let Dallas again into the sequence.
Having the ability to do that at a second’s discover is fairly good, too:
There’s a lot to respect about Brown’s regular enchancment through the years. With yet another good sport in a Celtics win, it appears like he’ll be 2024 NBA Finals MVP.
