Previewing the NBA Conference Finals 2024
Image provided by AP
The NBA season has come down to the final four teams as fans around the world get ready to enjoy the 2024 NBA Finals. In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves continue the best run in franchise history after knocking off the defending champion, Denver Nuggets.
The Dallas Mavericks finished off the #1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in a thrilling series. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are set to face off after the Pacers upset the Knicks in seven games and the Celtics eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both conference championship series should be exciting as the four remaining teams fight for the chance to represent their conferences in the NBA finals.
Take a deeper dive into what each series has to offer fans as the four best teams in the NBA battle it out for the chance to lift the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
NBA Eastern Conference Finals
Game 1: Pacers @ Celtics (5/21/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Game 2: Pacers @ Celtics (5/23/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Game 3: Celtics @ Pacers (5/25/24 @ 8: 30 PM EST)
Game 4: Celtics @ Pacers (5/27/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Game 5 [if necessary]: Pacers @ Celtics (5/29/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Game 6 [if necessary]: Celtics @ Pacers (5/31/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Game 7 [if necessary]: Pacers @ Celtics (6/2/24 @ 8 PM EST)
Image provided by AP
The Boston Celtics, one of the most historic franchises in the NBA came into the playoffs with the best record in the Eastern Conference after completing an impressive 64-18 regular season. The top-seeded Celtics have reached the Eastern Conference finals in six of the last eight seasons, simply adding to their legacy.
On the other side, you’ll find the Indiana Pacers who made the playoffs with a 47-35 record. Many experts expected the Pacers to fall for the two-seed New York Knicks in the last round, but once again, Indiana capitalized on injuries to key players and took the series in seven games.
On paper, this series doesn’t look all that intriguing, but if the Pacers have proven anything in the playoffs, it’s that you simply cannot count them out.
It's also worth noting that the narrative that the Pacers benefited from injuries to their opponents only tells part of the story. The Celtics beat the Miami Heat in the opening round of the playoffs four games to one, but Miami was without Jimmy Butler, who has a long history of breaking the hearts of Celtics fans.
Then, Boston beat the Cleveland Cavaliers four games to one, but Cleveland was also dealing with a laundry list of injuries, including playing the last two games of the series without Donovan Mitchell.
However, there’s no arguing that Boston comes into the series as the better-shooting team. Boston shot more threes than any other team in the league this season and barely missed out on leading the league in three-point shooting percentage.
The Celtics made 140 more threes than any other team in the league this year and were only 12 away from breaking the all-time NBA record. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics’ offense is not something to take lightly.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this series involves the Pacers' speed. The Pacers lived up to their name this season, playing at the second-highest pace of any team in the league. They used that speed against the Knicks, who were the slowest team in the league this year, a hallmark of head coach, Tom Thibodeau.
The Celtics like to launch threes and the Pacers like to play fast. Led by Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ offense largely revolves around pushing the ball down the court and scoring in transition.
Will that be enough to knock off the high-scoring Celtics offense that helped Boston post the best record in the NBA this year? Most experts seem to think not.
NBA Western Conference Finals
Game 1: Mavericks @ Timberwolves (5/22/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 2: Mavericks @ Timberwolves (5/24/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 3: Timberwolves @ Mavericks (5/26/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 4: Timberwolves @ Mavericks (5/28/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 5 [if necessary]: Mavericks @ Timberwolves (5/30/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 6 [if necessary]: Timberwolves @ Mavericks (6/1/24 @ 8:30 PM EST) Game 7 [if necessary]: Mavericks @ Timberwolves (6/3/24 @ 8:30 PM EST)
Image provided by AP
If you asked anyone to pick two teams to appear in the Western Conference Finals at the beginning of the season, they probably wouldn’t have chosen the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks.
While both teams were respected because of the talent on their rosters, it was largely assumed that the Denver Nuggets would make a run at their second-consecutive Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder posted the best record in the Western Conference. The second round of the Western Conference Playoffs saw both of the favorites fall to the teams who will now battle it out for the right to represent the Western Conference.
While the Mavericks knocked off the top-seeded Thunder, the Timberwolves are the team coming into this series with most of the momentum.
Not only did they knock out the defending champions, but overcoming NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has put the Timberwolves on the national radar at a level the historically subpar franchise has never experienced.
There’s no doubt that Minnesota is a legitimate championship contender. They completed the biggest comeback ever in a game seven in the final game of their series with Denver after being down by 20 in the third quarter.
Perhaps the biggest story of the 2024 NBA Playoffs has been the arrival of Anthony Edwards on the national stage. Edwards, affectionately referred to as “Ant,” has positioned himself to be one of the faces of the league going forward.
Thanks to his ability to score from virtually anywhere on the court and his larger-than-life personality, Edwards has cemented himself as the leader of the Timberwolves.
Along with Karl Anthony Townes, Minnesota has developed a talented young core that may keep the T’Wolves atop the Western Conference for years to come.
On the other side, the Dallas Mavericks are led by Luka Doncic, widely considered one of the best players in the NBA, and Kyrie Irving, the oft-traded superstar who has been a part of championship-caliber teams in the past.
The Mavericks' trademark is offense. Doncic has the ability to create his own shots and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. Irving has a proven track record of being a great distributor who can also put up points.
That’s what makes this series so intriguing, primarily because as good as Anthony Edwards is at shooting, the Timberwolves have proven themselves as one of the best defensive teams the league has ever seen.
In addition to Karl Anthony Townes, the Timberwolves have the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, protecting the rim.
It’s certainly no secret that offense has been king in the NBA for the last decade-plus, so seeing a team that prides itself on low-scoring games and aggressive defense is a breath of fresh air.
However, it’s going to be interesting to see if the potent Mavericks offense can overcome the smothering defense played by the Timberwolves.
Most media pundits who cover the NBA seem to favor Minnesota in the series, but Dallas has already proven that they’re capable of playing as the underdog.
If Dallas can find a way to overpower the defensive prowess of the Wolves, they have a chance. In fact, any team with Luka Doncic on it has a chance.
Unlike some of the other rosters in the NBA, neither of these teams has a “big three” group of superstars. This series should be a bit of a throwback to the days of the Bulls' high-powered offense facing off with the legendary defenses of the Detroit Pistons.
Regardless of who comes out on top, the NBA is going to have its sixth different championship team in the last six seasons, a testament to the parity of the league.
Additionally, each of the four teams has a superstar player under the age of 30 who is going to win his first NBA Championship ring. The conference finals promise to be every bit as exciting as the rest of the 2024 NBA playoffs have been, so you don’t want to miss them.