The 2024 NBA Finals starts on Thursday.
For the first time since 2016, a Black coach will win the NBA championship as two Black head coaches (Jason Kidd, Dallas, and Boston’s Joe Mazzulla) are in the finals for the first time since 2017 (Tyronne Lee and Mike Brown).
During last Thursday’s media call, the MSR asked ESPN NBA Analyst Kendrick Perkins if this is Boston’s final to lose.
“They have all the right pieces. Making a run to the finals and not completing the mission, that’s not the standard in the city of champions when it comes down to Boston,” responded Perkins, who played on the 2008 Boston Celtics 2008 NBA champions, one of four NBA clubs during his 15-year pro career.
“Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown, to me, are under the most pressure as far as players out of any other players in the NBA because of the great job that the front office has done as far as making sure they have the necessary pieces around them to complete the mission and making it to the Finals” added Perkins.
Boston seemingly had an easier path to the finals by knocking off Miami (4-1), Cleveland (4-1), and Indiana (4-0), with all three opponents not at full strength due to injuries to key players.
Dallas, on the other hand, had a tougher time as they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (4-2), and Oklahoma City (4-2) before almost sweeping Minnesota (4-1) to reach the Finals.
“J Kidd has to get a lot of credit,” said Perkins of Kidd’s coaching job to date. “They’re playing with a different type of vibe defensively. When we think about the Mavs, no one really expected them to be true title contenders. I didn’t think they had a legitimate shot at actually winning a title. I know they got better at the trade deadline, but I didn’t know they were this dangerous.
“I’m just watching J Kidd get the best out of his two superstars [Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic]. When you’re able to challenge them defensively, and they’re responding right now, that shows a level of coaching.”
“Joe Mazzulla earned my respect,” continued Perkins on the second-year Celtics HC. “I knew at least he had to do what [former coach] Ime Udoka did with this team and get them to the NBA Finals [last season]. Now he has to elevate his game even more and get them past the NBA finals to win the NBA championship.”
As for Minnesota, who did knock off defending champion Denver in seven games but struggled against the Mavs, Perkins noted, “It’s a learning process for all of those guys outside of Mike Conley. They’ve never been in that situation before.”
Minnesota Timberwolves longtime analyst Jim Petersen said that despite the disappointing ending, “It’s been an exciting playoff run, but more than anything else, I’m just so proud of these guys knowing they battled all season long.
“Minnesota could easily be up 3-1 in a series. They had the lead going into the fourth quarter. They just made too many simple mistakes that could have turned the tide of the game. Disappointed that they didn’t do that.”
Petersen said the Wolves’ current cast could be solid again next season for another playoff run. “Anthony Edwards is destined for greatness, and I think that this has been a legacy-building playoff run for all these players.”
This year’s finals have storylines galore: Irving’s return to Boston, for starters. Will the Celtics, after being off almost two weeks, come out with rust, or will the rest have benefitted them?
ESPN/Andscape’s Marc J. Spears told the MSR last week that he expects Dallas to be tough, “certainly capable of beating the Celtics,” he stressed.
“The one thing is, in order to win a championship,” Perkins told me, “you’ve got to be strong — strength in numbers, 15 deep. There’s so many stories and there’s so many individual matchups that are personal, that’s what’s going to make the series so fun.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be a five-game series, a six-game series. I got the Celtics, if they match up with the Mavs, winning in that series in seven,” predicted Perkins.