The NBA Finals are finally set after the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks won their conference finals series in 4 and 5 games, respectively. They had very different pathways getting here with the Mavs being very battle tested and the Celtics facing injured stars in every round, but both handled business and now face off in the Finals. This series is filled with compelling storylines including Kyrie Irving’s heated return to Boston, Kristaps Porzingis’ return from Injury and return to Dallas, Boston’s hunt for their 18th championship, and the legacies of Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and many others. Let’s dig into each of these storylines to get ready for Thursday’s game one and the rest of the series.
The Biggest Hater, Kyrie, or Boston Fans?
Who can forget the toxic relationship that Kyrie Irving has with the Boston Celtics? Irving was once meant to be Boston's savior, the player that could lead a young group to the promised land, but after lying to them and leaving them high and dry in 2019, he will be the most hated man in Boston over the next few weeks. Videos of his promise to re-sign in Boston before the 2018-19 season continue to circulate as Celtics fans feel burned by Kyrie choosing Brooklyn over them. One fan was even arrested in 2021 for throwing a water bottle at Irving as he was leaving a Nets-Celtics playoff game in Boston. Unsurprisingly, the feelings of hatred seem to be mutual. Kyrie burned a sage at TD Garden, stomped on the head of their center court logo, and even flipped off fans during a playoff game in Boston. Having the first two games of the series in Boston is poetic justice, and we’ll see quickly how deep the hatred goes on both sides.
Kristaps Porzingis’ Return
Kristaps has much less animosity surrounding his return to Dallas, but he still won’t be too popular. He, like Irving in Boston, was supposed to take the Mavericks to the next level, but Porzingis didn't pan out thanks to a handful of injuries. He played in just 134 out of a possible 209 games in the three years he was in Dallas and was traded to the Wizards for expiring contracts that helped them eventually trade for Kyrie Irving. The story for Kristaps during the Finals is not about hatred, but is once again about availability, as he is dealing with another injury. This time the Latvian big man has been out since game 4 of their first round series with a strained calf. The expectation was that Kristaps would be back for the end of the Eastern Conference Finals, but with the series ending in a sweep, he did not need to rush his return. He should be back for Game 1 of the Finals, but how healthy he is will be a key factor in Boston's success.
Joining Boston Greats
The Celtics franchise only cares about titles. They are currently tied with the Lakers with 17 NBA titles for the most championships in the history of the league. One championship will break the tie and define many legacies. Think about what one banner meant for the 08’ Celtics. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo are cemented into Boston's history. Doc Rivers continues to get hired based almost solely on that one championship ring. Even Kendrick Perkins has turned himself into one of the more in-demand NBA media personalities. Every player and coach on the team will have their careers changed forever and become a part of the legacy of one of the most storied franchises in sports history if they are able to win their 18th championship. Jayson Tatum would immediately be thrust into the long list of superstar Celtics with rings, joining Bill Russell, Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. With clutch performances, players like Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday could join a group of hall of fame secondary stars like Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Ray Allen, Sam Jones, and Bill Walton. Role players like Al Horford, Derrick White, or Kristaps could also end up as Boston royalty if any of them have key performances that lead to a Celtics championship. Without a ring, though, none of this matters and these players could easily be forgotten in the Celtics lore and could even be moved on from quickly. Getting the 18th banner is all Celtics fans care about after the last 16 years of tightly holding on to the ‘Anything is Possible’ 08' Celtics.
A Chance to Rewrite the Story of Kyrie Irving
The frustrations with the Kyrie Irving experience have been well documented during each of his NBA stops, and he has quickly worn out welcomes everywhere he has gone. Will he be remembered as the anti-vax, flat earther who lied to the Celtics, stomped on their logo, left LeBron and bailed on KD? Or will he become one of the greatest robins in NBA history helping lead both LeBron and Luka Doncic to titles? If he is part of more clutch performances like his game winner that helped give the Cavaliers their first championship he could go down as one of the most clutch players of all time. If he doesn’t win this, and Dallas fails to win one with him and Luka as the main pieces, Kyrie will be remembered for one tremendous shot and then an underwhelming mess of a career ever since leaving LeBron’s side. A second ring, on the other hand, would legitimize his standing as one of the best offensive guards to ever play basketball, give him a forever home in Dallas, and propel him to the Hall of Fame.
Is Luka Standing with the Greats?
Luka Doncic, as the best player in the series, has the most pressure on him and will be trying to find his place amongst the greats of the game. One ring could immediately put him above greats who could never get it done, like Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and James Harden. It also probably puts him above most number 2’s on championship teams, as he will have been the main catalyst for this championship. It would cement his legacy next to Dirk Nowitzki as the greatest Mavericks of all time and put him on par with legends with just one ring, which include Nowitzki, Nikola Jokic, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. All Doncic needs to do to be one of the two greatest Mavs of all time is win a seven-game series against the best team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics.
Photos by NBA.com, Glenn James (Getty Images) Elise Amendola (AP Photo), Jerome Miron (USA Today)
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