After making easy work of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, beating Anthony Edwards and company in five games to advance to the NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks will have a tall task ahead of them as the underdogs taking on Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics.
Although the Mavericks have proven to be as resilient as any team in the league throughout the NBA playoffs by defying the odds to reach the Finals, Boston has been arguably the best team in the league the entire season and will be more than prepared for this seven-game series.
Currently, the Celtics are considered the favorites coming into the Finals, even though the Mavericks had arguably the tougher opponents to get through in order to reach the Finals in order to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
With the Mavericks being the underdogs, Luka Doncic and company will need to fire on all cylinders once Game 1 gets underway later this week on June 6, with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN believing that P.J. Washington may be the difference-maker for Dallas in this series, via ESPN’s “First Take.”
“If P.J. Washington hits threes, Dallas Mavericks [are] gonna win the championship,” Smith said.
.@stephenasmith says P.J. Washington is the biggest X-Factor in the NBA Finals ?
"If P.J. Washington hits threes, Dallas Mavericks [are] gonna win the championship." pic.twitter.com/VYpZBRcdCU
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 3, 2024
Washington was a key addition to the Mavericks roster ahead of the NBA trade deadline a few months ago, as he was acquired in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets.
Although he’s struggled at times during these playoffs, Washington is a solid contributor, averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 43.2% from the floor and 36.3% from beyond the arc.
He could prove to be the difference if he is able to keep up or improve these numbers during the Finals.
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