NBA Finals 2024: Hot Takes and Top Storylines Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 3 (2024)

The 2024 NBA Finals will look dramatically different this time tomorrow depending on the result of tonight's Game 3.

Either the Boston Celtics will be holding a historically insurmountable 3-0 advantage in this best-of-seven series, or the Dallas Mavericks will be right back in the thick of this with a 2-1 deficit and another home tilt on the docket for Friday's Game 4.

Extra fluff isn't needed to hype up this critically important portion of the championship clash, so let's dive into the matchup by spotlighting two of the biggest Game 3 storylines and finishing with a hot take on this series.

Last summer, the Celtics tabbed Kristaps Porziņģis as a potential missing piece of their championship puzzle and wound up dealing former heart-and-soul-of-the-franchise Marcus Smart to acquire him. Two games into this series, it's obvious to see why.

Porziņģis, who returned in Game 1 following a month-plus absence with a calf strain, has been a full-fledged difference-maker so far. Boston is plus-25 in his 44 minutes—and plus-25 in this series. For the non-math majors in the audience, that means the Celtics and Mavericks have tied the minutes he hasn't played.

That's what makes Tuesday's update about the big fella suffering a "rare injury" to his left leg so ominous. Yes, Boston has proved this postseason it can win without him, but can it take down this dangerous Dallas team without his floor-spacing, paint protection and support scoring?

Hopefully, the Celtics don't have to find out. Hopefully, the oft-injured big man can find a way to work around this injury and stay on the floor (and look like he has through two contests). If that doesn't happen, though, Boston may no longer hold an ace up its sleeve.

Luka Dončić's first foray into the NBA Finals has been loaded with overstuffed stat lines. Through two outings, his series averages include 31 points, 10.5 rebounds and six assists, and he has compiled those numbers while shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from distance.

If he had any kind of support from his teammates, the Mavericks might not be sitting in this whole. Alas, Kyrie Irving can't find his shooting touch (35.1 field-goal percentage, 0-of-8 from three), Dallas' bigs can't find openings for the lob plays that helped this team escape the Western Conference and the Mavs' shooters are struggling both to find clean looks and convert the ones that do come their way.

Five of the top six scorers in this series are Celtics (Dončić being the lone exception). Mavericks players not named Dončić have gone a collective 5-of-32 (15.6 percent) from the perimeter. Dallas has just 30 assists on its 73 made field goals.

This offense just isn't functioning in ways beyond Dončić's lone brand of basketball wizardry. Maybe the role players perk up in front of the Mavs' home fans, or perhaps Irving snaps out of this funk, but it's obvious Dallas is drawing dead if Dončić doesn't get more help soon.

While Porziņģis' injury is certainly worrisome, it doesn't have to spell Boston's demise. Even if he can't suit up, basketball's best roster has enough to overcome a singular absence.

Save for a few clunky possessions late in Game 2, the Celtics have seldom had to really sweat in this series. And that's with Jayson Tatum, arguably Boston's best player (regardless what Mavericks coach Jason Kidd thinks), lagging way behind his normal output. The three-time All-NBA first-teamer is averaging only 17 points with a wholly uncharacteristic 31.6/28.6/75 shooting slash—and Boston is still up 2-0 with a double-digit average margin of victory.

While it's possible Dallas' role players finally get going in Games 3 or 4, what happens if Tatum does the same? Or if Porziņģis does suit up and doesn't appear limited? What if Dončić's own injury issue starts sapping some of his superpowers? Or the players around him don't fare any better than they have to this point?

The Celtics were juggernauts all season-long, and they've basically been razor-sharp in the postseason (14-2 with a fully dominant plus-11.1 net rating, per NBA.com). The Mavericks are—or at least can be—a really good team, but they may be helpless against this clearly great one.