Ranking 10 Best Players of Celtics-Mavericks NBA Finals

The 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks has the top-tier starpower and quality depth pieces on both sides to make for one of the most entertaining and compelling best-of-seven matchups the league has ever seen.

Here's a look at the 10 best players heading into this series with a sixth unique champion in as many years set to be crowned.

10. Al Horford, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +24000

Age is just a number for the 37-year-old veteran Al Horford, who will soon move into second for the most playoff games without a championship to their name. He's performed admirably with Kristaps Porzingis out of the lineup due to injury, averaging 10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in his stead.

Now he'll be moving back to the second unit once Porzingis returns, whenever that may be. It remains to be seen how much of a role Horford will ultimately have once that happens, though, since the Mavericks' frontcourt is much quicker and more agile than he may be able to keep up with.

9. P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +29000

P.J. Washington is the only player on the Mavericks who doesn't have "Doncic" or "Irving" on the back of their jersey averaging double-digit scoring this postseason. He actually outscored Kyrie Irving in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder, transitioning to more of a defensive threat versus the Minnesota Timberwolves as his efficiency stalled out.

Washington will need to find more of a balance against Boston, being an x-factor for Dallas as an outside marksman (2.4 makes across 17 playoff games) while being enough of a nuisance defensively against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to keep their scoring outbursts to as much of a minimum as possible.

8. Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +50000

The Mavericks score a team-best 13.4 more points per 100 possessions with Dereck Lively II on the floor, which helps explain why he's only averaging 0.1 fewer minutes per game than starter Daniel Gafford. The 7-foot-1 rookie has been the perfect pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic, who exploited that play call for numerous lobs around the basket to Dallas' bigs against newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

With Porzingis' return just around the corner, Lively II is the ideal solution to counteract him, and that could lead to a further uptick in playing time. Avoiding a concussion or major neck injury during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals perhaps saved the Mavericks' title hopes.

7. Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +5500

Having just been named a member of the All-Defensive Second Team for the third time in his career, Jrue Holiday can be the ultimate difference-maker for the Celtics without scoring the basketball, although he did a great deal of that against Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton-less backcourt.

If Holiday can find a way to make life difficult for either Doncic or Irving, which he's more than capable of doing, then Boston will have little problem capturing its 18th championship in franchise history. The 33-year-old is the backbone of a defense which ranked second during the regular season and now third in the playoffs. Dallas will want him to be a shooter, but after Holiday converted over 58 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep versus the Pacers, that may not be the best idea.

6. Derrick White, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +3500

Like his backcourt running-mate Holiday, White also found himself a part of the All-Defensive Second Team in 2024, forming the best defensive backcourt across the Association bar none. Even with the talent surrounding him, White can win games by lighting up opponents with an abundance of triples, having made four or more in six of Boston's 14 playoff games. His worst shooting night in Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers coincided with one of the two losses the Celtics have suffered all postseason.

White is wise beyond his years, and very rarely makes debilitating mistakes. If he gets hot, and he surely will at some point in the Finals, then that's going to take the focus off of Tatum and Brown, and Dallas only has so many perimeter defenders to go around.

5. Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +5000

If Porzingis' calf is anywhere near 100 percent, then the entire dynamic of the Finals turns on itself. The rich get richer as Boston gets back a 7-foot-2 unicorn who's more versatile offensively than any big the Mavericks have so far seen, and that includes All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Porzingis won't shy away from working with his back to the basket, coming off a regular season in which he led the league in points per possession in the post up at 1.30. If he's left on an island away from the basket like Gobert was in Game 2 versus the Timberwolves, if the calf cooperates, Porzingis is a more trusted option to hold his own defensively. A luxury of a top-heavy rotation is head coach Joe Mazzulla won't need Porzingis to empty the clip much either. His mere presence on the hardwood will create issues for Dallas.

4. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +2000

Of the 10 players on this list, Irving is one of only two (Holiday) entering this Finals with a championship already on their resume, having won a title in 2016 as a member of the Cavaliers drilling one of the biggest shots of all time. He returns to Beantown as public enemy No. 1, having donned the green and white once before with false promises of wanting to be a long-time Celtic before departing after just a pair of seasons.

Perhaps the jeers and boos will motivate Irving, not that he ever needed the added fuel. Considered one of the greatest ball-handlers we've ever seen, Irving has embraced being second in the pecking order behind Doncic, has bought in defensively, and can still close ball games with clutch makes on tight scoreboards. Irving let the Thunder's defensive schemes rattle him in the second round, and he can't allow that to be the case again.

3. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +600

No player has ever won Finals Most Valuable Player after not capturing the award in the conference finals, which bodes well for Brown's chances to be the standout for the Celtics once again. He's averaging worse numbers than Tatum, sure, but Brown is far more efficient as a shooter and is only 14 total points behind his teammate in the scoring department. At this time, you could flip a coin and slot Brown into the No. 2 spot on this list and very few would make a peep about it.

He's going to receive the Doncic assignment as an on-ball defender more often than not due to his strength and length, along with the fact that he's playing some of the best defense of his young career. The Batman and Robin dynamic in Boston is dissolving quickly as Brown is just as deserving of a dark cowl and cape of his own. Perhaps it doesn't matter who the alpha on the team is as long as the Celtics are prevailing in the end.

2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: -120

This marks the first series for the Celtics in which Tatum isn't widely considered to be the best player overall player. In terms of which player is facing the most pressure and under the most scrutiny, though, he's got that covered in spades. His numbers have been superb through the first three rounds (26 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists), but after watching Brown capture the Larry Bird trophy against Indiana, it's clear Boston can still succeed with Tatum taking more of a backseat, no matter how small.

His 2022 Finals numbers against the Golden State Warriors left a lot to be desired, and a similar showing paired with the Celtics coming up short against the Mavericks would do a lot of damage to his credibility. Tatum has taken positive strides as a defender, at least, and he should once again fill the stat sheet even if his percentages start to mirror that of two years ago.

1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Odds to win NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: +210

Unquestionable and undeniable. From the statistical milestones he continues to reach this postseason, to the elite defenders he makes mincemeat out of on the regular, Doncic has proven time and time again that no game plan is strong enough to put a dent in his production, nor is there a singular player or roster capable of striking fear in his heart.

No one has totalled more points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, free throws, or steals than Doncic throughout these playoffs. He has a counter for every counter thrown his way, always making the right play at the opportune time. If he can get through yet another series against an all-world defense loaded with weapons and make it look easy, then Doncic's spot as the greatest player on the planet will be secured.