Upon entering the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics made a strategic decision in response to the dominant performance of the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference playoffs. Instead of attempting to neutralize the impact of the Mavericks’ two talented playmakers, Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Celtics opted to challenge them head-on. The rationale behind this decision was twofold. Firstly, the Celtics believed that the Mavericks posed a greater threat when the entire team was performing well, rather than relying solely on the brilliance of Dončić and Irving. Secondly, the Celtics had confidence in their own defensive capabilities, with a core group of strong defenders who could effectively execute their strategy of making Dončić and Irving the primary scorers while preventing them from single-handedly winning games.
