NBA Finals Score the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, including scores, key performers, and series highlights:
- Game 1: Celtics 107 – Mavericks 89
- Game 2: Celtics 105 – Mavericks 98
- Game 3: Mavericks 99 – Celtics 106
- Game 4: Mavericks 122 – Celtics 84
- Game 5: Celtics 106 – Mavericks 88
The Boston Celtics won their 18th NBA championship, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in league history.
Series Summary Celtics Dominate 4-1
- Celtics’ strengths: Elite defense, three-point shooting, and depth overwhelmed the Mavericks.
- Mavericks’ struggles: Luka DONCIC had big numbers, but Boston’s defense limited his supporting cast (especially Kyrie Irving).
- Finals MVP: Jaylen Brown (24.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, stellar defense on Luka) edged out Jayson Tatum for the award.
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Game 1 (Celtics 107 – Mavs 89)
- Key moment: Celtics closed the 1st half on a 20-5 run, led by Kristaps PORZINGIS (20 pts off the bench).
Stats:
- Luka: 30 PTS, 10 REB (but 6 TOs)
- Kyrie: 12 PTS (6/19 FG) – struggled vs. Boston’s defense.
Game 2 (Celtics 105 – Mavs 98)
- Heroics: JRUE Holiday (26 PTS, 11 REB) and clutch plays in the 4th quarter.
- Luka’s big night: 32 PTS, 11 AST, 11 REB (triple-double), but Mavs fell short.
Game 3 (Mavs 99 – Celtics 106)
- Close until late: Celtics pulled away in the 4th with Tatum (31 PTS) and Brown (30 PTS).
- Kyrie’s struggles continued: 16 PTS (4/11 FG), outplayed by Boston’s guards.
- Mav SAVOIDS weep: Luka (29 PTS), Kyrie (21 PTS) finally showed up.
- Celtics’ worst loss in Finals history (–38), but they bounced back strong.
- Title clincher: Celtics dominated early, led by Brown (21 PTS) and Tatum (31 PTS, 11 AST).
- Luka fought hard (28 PTS), but Mavericks’ role players disappeared.
Key Factors in Celtics’ Victory
- Defense: Switched everything, forced Luka into tough shots, and locked down Kyrie.
- Depth: PORZINGIS, Holiday, White, and Horford all had huge moments.
- Luka’s fatigue: Carried Dallas all playoffs but ran out of gas vs. Boston’s physicality.
Notable Performances
- Jaylen Brown (FMVP): Two-way dominance, clutch scoring, and lockdown D.
- Jayson Tatum: Led Celtics in scoring (22.2 PPG) and assists (7.8 APG).
- Kyrie Irving: Disappeared (avg. 19.8 PPG on 41% FG, worst Finals of his career).
Tactical Analysis How the Celtics Shut Down the Mavericks
Defensive Scheme:
- “JRUE Holiday on Luka, Brown on Kyrie” – Boston’s switch-heavy defense forced Luka into tough iso shots while limiting his playmaking.
- Blitzing Luka late in games – The Celtics sent hard double-teams in the 4th quarter to get the ball out of his hands.
- Weak-side help shut down lobs – Robert Williams and Al Horford played the passing lanes, cutting off alley-oops to Dereck Lively II.
Offensive Adjustments:
- Five-out spacing – PORZINGIS and Horford pulled Dallas’ rim protectors (GAFFORD/Lively) out to the perimeter.
- Hunting Kyrie in P&R – The Celtics relentlessly attacked Irving in pick-and-rolls, tiring him out defensively.
Advanced Stats That Decided the Series
Stat Celtics Mavericks
Offensive Rating 118.7 105.4
Defensive Rating 104.2 118.9
3P% (Open/wide-open) 41.3% 33.1%
Luka’s FG% vs. Double-Teams 38.6% –
Fast-Break Points 14.2/game 8.5/game
- Kyrie’s disastrous +/- – –68 in the series, worst among all starters.
- Celtics’ assist-to-turnover ratio – 2.4:1 (elite ball movement).
Controversies & Turning Points
Luka’s Frustration & Foul Trouble
- NBA Finals Score Game 3: Luka fouled out late after arguing with refs, costing Dallas a chance to rally.
Kyrie’s Struggles vs. Boston
- Extended his 0-13 record vs. Celtics (playoffs + regular season since leaving Brooklyn).
- Boos in Boston – Fans relentlessly jeered him, affecting his play.
PORZINGS ’ Revenge Series
- After being called “injury-prone” in Dallas, he averaged 16.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG off the bench.
What’s Next for Both Teams?
Boston Celtics
- Repeat chances? Retain core (Tatum/Brown/Holiday/White), but need to re-sign PORZIMGS (player option).
- Dynasty potential – If healthy, they’re the favorites for 2025.
Dallas Mavericks
Roster upgrades needed:
- Secondary playmaker (Luka needs help when doubled).
- Kyrie’s future? Played poorly, but under contract. Can he coexist with Luka long-term?
Historical Context
- Celtics’ 18th title breaks tie with Lakers for most all-time.
- Luka joins LeBron (2007) as only players to lead Finals in points/rebounds/assists on a losing team.
- Worst Finals blowout since 1998 (Game 4: Mavs won by 38).
The Hidden Game Within the Game
The Math Problem Dallas Couldn’t Solve
- Boston attempted 42.3 threes/game at 38.8% efficiency (16.4 makes)
- Dallas attempted 32.1 threes/game at 31.6% efficiency (10.1 makes)
- Net difference: +18.9 points per game from three alone
The Luka Paradox
- On-ball: 1.32 points per possession (elite)
- Off-ball: 0.87 PPP (bottom 5% of playoff players)
- Defensive effort: Allowed 1.18 PPP when targeted (worst among Finals starters since tracking began)
The Kyrie Conundrum
- NBA Finals Score Vs. JRUE Holiday: 8/28 FG (28.6%)
- Vs. Derrick White: 5/19 FG (26.3%)
- In clutch time: 1/7 FG, 0 assists, 2 turnovers
Championship DNA Breakdown
- Boston’s “Winning Plays” Metric
- Loose balls recovered: +17 in series
- Charges taken: 6 (Mavs had 0)
- Deflections: 12.8/game (Mavs: 7.4)
- Closeout contests: 89% of Mavs 3PA (league AVG: 76%)
The Film Room Secrets
Boston’s Offensive Cheat Code
- Used “Pistol” action 23 times per game (up from 11 in regular season)
- Generated 1.41 PPP from these sets (unheard of in Finals)
- Key beneficiary: Derrick White (shot 52% on pistol 3s)
Dallas’ Defensive Tell
- Luka’s ball-watching: 17 instances where he lost his man leading to open 3s
- Drop coverage mistakes: GAFFORD/Lively misplayed 12 P&Rs that became Celtics 3s
Betting Market Tells
- Series MVP odds movement:
- Brown: +650 to -250 after Game 3
- Tatum: -200 to +400 after Game 4
- The “smart money” came in on Brown after tracking his defensive matchups
Legacy Implications
- Tatum’s All-Time Ascension
- Passed Pierce for 3rd in Celtics playoff scoring
- At age 26: Already top 5 in playoff points among Celtics
Luka’s Warning Signs
- 4th straight year with rising usage rate (now 38.9%)
- Defensive workload: Covered 2.7 miles/game (lowest among starters)
- Conditioning questions after 4th quarter splits dropped dramatically
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…………NBA Finals Score……….