Sports
Starting 5, June 5: Media Day today as start of NBA Finals looms – NBA.com
Hear the latest from Boston and Dallas as they discuss their Finals matchup & dig into the X-factors that could shape the series.
Who’s ready for a Monster series?!
THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside today’s edition?
Celtics Media Day: Hear the latest from coach Joe Mazzulla and Kristaps Porzingis
Mavs Media Day: Coach Jason Kidd and Luka Doncic discuss the opportunity at hand
Strength vs. strength: Who will control the corner 3s, paint points and offensive boards?
Meet the cast: You know the stars, but how well do you know the potential X-factors?
Mavs’ alley-oops: How the lob has become an essential piece of Dallas’ offense
BUT FIRST … ⏰
With 1 day left til the NBA Finals …
The Celtics and Mavs will be in Boston for Media Day, streaming live in the NBA App starting at 12:30 ET.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV tips off tomorrow at 8:30 ET on ABC.
1. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: CELTICS
Potential return: Kristaps Porzingis’ status for the Finals after missing the last 10 games with a calf strain has been a talking point all week, and on Tuesday, Boston fans received some encouraging news.
What it would mean: If Porzingis returns, he’ll not only be stepping onto the NBA Finals court for the first time but also facing his former team, a club he played for from 2019 to 2022.
2. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: MAVS
Coach vs. player: As point guard of Dallas’ 2011 title team, Jason Kidd has the opportunity to be the eighth coach to lead his team to the title after winning one as a player with the same team. Kidd said he enjoys both roles, but one is clearly more challenging.
Embracing the opportunity: The Mavs got close in 2022 – reaching the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by Golden State. After missing the 2023 postseason, they’re ready to make the most of the opportunity in front of them.
Luka x Dirk relationship: Another connection from 2011 is Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki, who won a title with Kidd 13 years ago and played one season with Luka before retiring.
Where They Belong: After becoming the first team in 14 years to knock off three straight 50+ win teams to reach the Finals, the Mavs are ready for the Finals stage.
3. STRENGTH vs. STRENGTH
Similar Styles: Star duos, clutch poise and 3-point happy offenses aren’t the only qualities Dallas and Boston have in common.
Both teams excel in specific facets that will clash and help decide the Finals champion.
Beyond The Box Score: We’ve already covered the basics. Now, it’s time to dive deeper and examine three “strength vs. strength” team matchups to watch this series.
1. Corner 3 Control
2. Points In The Paint
3. Mavs OREB vs. Celtics DREB
See more key stats ahead of the NBA Finals here.
4. MEET THE CASTS
You know about Kyrie and Luka.
You know about Tatum and Brown.
But what about their teammates? Check out one stat about the potential X-factors in this year’s Finals …
Mavericks:
Celtics:
5. DALLAS: THE NEW LOB CITY
In addition to Luka’s stepbacks, Kyrie’s ambidextrous runners and drive and kicks for open 3s, the Mavs are also the most prolific alley-oop team of the postseason.
And it’s not even close.
The Mavs have completed 57 alley-oops in their run to the Finals – 15 more than the next four teams combined. Those four: Denver (12), Boston (11), OKC (10) and Indy (9).
The additions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at the trade deadline correlates with a spike in alley-oops for Dallas that has only grown in the postseason.
Let’s break down how the lob has become an essential piece of Dallas’ offense.
1. Transition Lobs: Luka Doncic is constantly looking for alley-oop opportunities in transition, sometimes launching lobs from beyond half-court, like this one to Dereck Lively II.
2. Isolation Lobs: Kyrie Irving uses his once-in-a-generation handles to get by defenders and force opposing bigs to step up to stop his drive, leaving a Mavs dunker in position to catch a lob over the defense.
Luka operates a bit differently, often getting his defender on his hip as he gets into the paint and forces help to come his way to free up his alley-oop partner.
3. Pick-and-Roll Lobs: Luka and Kyrie have so many options off pick-and-roll action depending on what the defense gives them. If the priority is to stop Luka and Kyrie, they’ll find the roll man like Gafford, for example, with a clear path to the basket.
4. Pick-and-Roll Variations: Watch the Mavs use multiple screens in Luka-Gafford pick-and roll action.
In this example, Gafford set a high screen for Luka near mid-court. Then, Derrick Jones, Jr. sets a back screen on Gafford’s defender to get both players a clear path to the paint. The defense collapses late on Luka, who simply lobs it up to Gafford.
Here, after setting a screen on Luka’s defender, Gafford rolls to the basket and sets a screen on his own defender as Luka snakes the lane, eventually leading to another lob.
5. Ball and Player Movement: With Luka and Kyrie surveying the floor, quick ball movement that gets the defense scrambling can result in an alley-oop opportunity.
So can a well-timed cut to the basket like Washington’s below.
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