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By Matt Levine
Contributing Sports Writer
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We are only one game into the 2024 NBA Finals and the off-court drama is already better than the product on the floor. The Boston Celtics blitzed the Dallas Mavericks by 18 points, 107-89, in Game 1 of the series to take a 1-0 lead, giving fans a fairly boring start to a highly-anticipated series. However, many expect Dallas to respond much better in Game 2 Sunday, and the leadup to the game may indicate just that.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd mentioned that All-Star Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown was the best player on the Celtics, giving more thought to a narrative about whose team Boston is. This has been a question asked over the last few years with both Brown and fellow Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum refusing to buy into it. Tatum is the better player between the two but Brown has performed at a higher level in the postseason which has led those to turn attention toward him.
However, unlike him, Tatum clapped back at Kidd (per Bleacher Report) following the disrespectful comment.
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"We understand people try to drive a wedge between us," Tatum said. "This is not our first time at the rodeo."
This was an elegant response by Tatum toward Kidd and shows that he is focused on winning his first NBA title, not exchanging barbs in the press. Boston made the NBA Finals two seasons ago but lost in six games to the Golden State Warriors. It's not easy to reach the NBA Finals, let alone win it all, so giving the Celtics more motivation to do so may have not been the smartest move on the part of Kidd.
Nonetheless, Boston is the better team in the series and took control in Game 1. Game 2 will be played at the TD Garden as well, with the Celtics looking to notch a dominant 2-0 edge before the series shifts to Dallas.
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Despite being the best team all season long, the Celtics have been doubted during their playoff run. Injuries to opponents have played into this factor but Boston has remained steadfast in their pursuit of the organization's 18th NBA title. If Boston were to win it all, they would break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in NBA history.
Both Tatum and Brown know what is at stake, with legacies on the line. They have dominated the league together for many years now and a title would culminate the pairing as one of the best in recent memory. Game 2 promises to be much more entertaining than Game 1 was so buckle up and get ready for some fun.
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