Banner 18 Blueprint: 5 Keys for a Celtics NBA Finals Victory

Celtics Bench Will Need to Show Up

The Celtics bench is undeniably the weakest part of their team. While their top six players are one of the best in the league, their rotation after that has some flaws. However, suppose Porzingis does manage to come back. In that case, it will allow Horford to head back to the bench, where he can help elevate the C’s bench performance, especially considering his extensive playing time in the last two rounds. If Horford and Payton Pritchard can provide meaningful minutes, they’ll give the Celtics a much-needed boost. Considering the Mavs personnel, this is a series where names like Sam Hauser and Xavier Tillman could find themselves getting a chance at meaningful minutes.

Get Kristaps Porzingis Back

The Celtics' most significant offseason move was bringing in Kristaps Porzingis. The seven-foot playmaker has elevated Boston’s team to another level, and his absence in the last two series for the Cs has been visible. Porzingis adds an element on offense that makes the Celtics dangerous, with his ability to stretch the floor, be a lob threat, and even his underrated passing. Not only is he a game-changer on offense, but his ability to defend the rim as a shot blocker makes the Celtics' defense a nightmare for opposing offenses when they’re clicking. Even when the unicorn isn’t blocking shots, his presence in the paint deters a lot of shots, which ultimately works in Boston’s favor. In addition, when Porzingis returns, it will allow the Celtics to roll out double-big lineups with Al Horford, which will be needed in a series against the Mavericks and their frontcourt depth.

Find a way to slow down the Mavericks backcourt

It’s no secret that the key to the Mavericks' success up to this point has been behind their dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the backcourt. And as Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla noted ahead of Thursday’s Game 1, there’s no stopping the Mavs stars, but for the C’s to win this series, they’ll have to figure out a way to slow them down. The good news for Boston is that they have arguably the best defensive backcourt in the league, with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White on their side. Not only will their backcourt be a defensive nightmare for the Mavericks duo, but with the Celtics two-way stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown willing to take on defensive challenges, they have plenty of options and versatile defenders to throw at Dallas throughout the series.

Exploit Mismatches

Much of the focus leading into this series is how the Celtics will manage to slow down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but the Mavericks will have the same problem as the C’s if not a bigger one. Dallas has put together solid defensive performances throughout the postseason, but they’ve yet to play an offensive monster like the Celtics. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown seemingly firing on all cylinders, it’ll be hard for the Mavs to find a way to slow down the Celtics stars. With Tatum’s physicality and much-improved playmaking, Dallas will have their hands full. And even if they do manage to alter Tatum’s game, they’ll have a big problem slowing down the ECF MVP. And with the support of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis surrounding the duo, Boston will have plenty of mismatches to exploit.

Let Defense Lead to Offense

The Celtics have talent on both sides of the ball, and their offense has proven to be a dominant force. However, throughout the season, Boston has shown tendencies to rely on their offense and plays lackadaisical on defense. However, throughout the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana, the Celtics seemed to do some soul-searching to remember their identity. Boston dug deep and found the defense Joe Mazzulla and his team have harped on all season long and won games in the clutch. If the C’s play up to their defensive potential, they can rely on their defense to create offense.

Celtics Bench Will Need to Show Up

The Celtics bench is undeniably the weakest part of their team. While their top six players are one of the best in the league, their rotation after that has some flaws. However, suppose Porzingis does manage to come back. In that case, it will allow Horford to head back to the bench, where he can help elevate the C’s bench performance, especially considering his extensive playing time in the last two rounds. If Horford and Payton Pritchard can provide meaningful minutes, they’ll give the Celtics a much-needed boost. Considering the Mavs personnel, this is a series where names like Sam Hauser and Xavier Tillman could find themselves getting a chance at meaningful minutes.