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In this episode of the Good word with good willSenior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports is joined by The Athletic’s Dallas Mavericks reporter Tim Cato to talk about all the changes the team has gone through over the past three years.
Since losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks have changed owners, general managers, head coaches and pretty much everyone on the roster not named Luka Doncic. Vinnie and Tim talk about the adjustments that were made and the patience it took to make everything work and for the team to succeed at this level.
The guys give a preview of the NBA Finals, including how both offenses seem to force both defenses to play a way they’re not entirely comfortable with.
Dereck Lively II may be a rookie, but he is one of the most important and impactful players for Dallas in this series. How he defends at the rim could be the key to the Mavericks slowing down the Celtics offense.
Kyrie Irving has had a long and tumultuous history with Boston, but Tim claims that growth and maturity have put Kyrie in a place where he is no longer deterred by what the Boston fans scream at him.
The health of former Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis, who hasn’t played in nearly six weeks, could be the key to the whole series. If he can move his feet and hit deep threes, it will be nearly impossible for the Mavericks to defend the Celtics the way they want to.
Before closing the show, Tim gives his (admittedly biased) prediction for what will happen in the 2024 NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics.
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