5 Takeaways from Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals

The 2024 NBA Finals has officially come to a close, with the Boston Celtics securing their 18th championship in franchise history after taking down the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5.

Boston dominated for most of the first half, using a multitude of runs to light up Dallas and coast for the entirety of the second half to clinch a 106-88 victory and end the series. Not only did Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown make crucial plays to give their home fans unforgettable memories, key starters and role players provided significant moments on both sides of the ball to give the Celtics their first title since 2008.

Here are some takeaways on what went right for Boston and what went wrong for Dallas.

The J’s Come Through

Tatum and Brown combined for 52 points in Game 5

After a difficult Game 4 that saw Tatum and Brown have one of their worst shooting nights this postseason, combining for just 25 points on 31.8 percent shooting overall and 22.2 percent from deep, they knew they needed to bounce back to secure the title.

They answered the call in convincing fashion. Tatum put his brilliant playmaking on display, dishing out nine assists while conceding no turnovers in the first half. By game’s end, he finished with a double-double of 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds on 11-of-24 shooting from the field.

Despite his shot not falling as usual, going 38.8 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from beyond the arc in the Finals, Tatum refused to let that hold him back from being effective on the court. He had his rebounding, passing, and defense do most of the work while he opened up opportunities for his teammates to score, keeping the Celtics’ offense fluid.

As for Brown, he did not shoot the ball particularly well, but he maintained his aggressiveness and was active in other areas of the game as he showcased astounding defense against Luka Dončić.

He put up 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 44 minutes of action. Averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game throughout the series, he wound up winning NBA Finals MVP. What a postseason it has been for Brown, silencing a lot of doubters who were critical of his playoff struggles last year and his max contract, showing why he is a star in the NBA.

Celtics Relentlessly Crashed the Glass

Out-rebounded the Mavericks 51-35

Rebounding was one of the few areas where Boston had a hard time holding off Dallas. In Game 4, they gave up a series-high 52 rebounds, 13 of them being on the offensive glass.

Understanding that for them to end the series as soon as possible, the Celtics needed to set the tone by boxing out the Mavericks for rebounds.

Jrue Holiday embraced the challenge, being active all over the court as he grabbed 11 rebounds, including four offensive boards. His backcourt mate Derrick White assisted with eight rebounds, also getting four offensive rebounds.

It was a marvelous rebounding day for the Celtics, getting 51 total rebounds for a new series-high, 15 on the offensive glass. All the starters had eight or more rebounds, showcasing their willingness to prevent Dallas’ offense from taking advantage of their misses.

Even though Dallas edged out Boston in rebounding throughout the series, getting 43.2 boards in contrast to the Celtics’ 41.2, they did not do enough in Game 5 as they were overwhelmed by the second-chance shots that Boston made sure to take advantage of.

Dončić and Irving Run Out of Gas

Scored 43 points on 41 shots

Dončić and Kyrie Irving did a lot to get Dallas to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise’s title run in 2011.

Unlike that year, however, it wasn’t meant to be for the star duo making their first Finals appearance together. They combined for 43 points on 17-of-41 shooting from the field and 5-of-18 from downtown, needing more production from their supporting cast to keep up with Boston.

Dončić put up a strong fight against the Celtics’ stout defense, getting a double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds to go along with five assists and three steals in 43 minutes of action. He shot 12-of-25 from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, doing all he could despite Boston’s offense being too much to overcome.

After strong performances in Games 3 and 4, averaging 28 points on 50 percent shooting overall and 41.7 percent from deep, Irving failed to carry that over in Game 5.

He only put up 15 points and nine assists on 5-of-16 shooting from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc. It summed up a brutal showing at TD Garden for Irving, only scoring 14.3 points on unappealing shooting splits of 34 percent overall and 17.6 percent from downtown. He may have ended his overall losing streak against the Celtics, but his losing skid at TD Garden will carry on to next season.

Mavericks Fail At The Charity Stripe

Missed six of their 13 free-throws

The charity stripe proved to be a huge weakness for the Mavericks, even for Dončić.

Dallas ranked at the bottom among the playoff teams when it came to free-throw shooting, making 71.9 percent of their chances at the line.

This came back to bite them in Game 5 against Boston, missing six of their 13 attempts at the charity stripe. Three of those misses came from Dončić.

It was a disappointing series from the line for the Mavericks’ superstar, only converting 58.9 percent of his shots with some of those misses coming at crucial points in Games 2 and 3, for example. It prevented Dallas from having a better chance at winning another game, an issue that Dončić will have to address during the offseason.

Celtics Controlled The Momentum From The Start

Mavericks were unable to ignite runs to counter Boston’s

If Dallas had any chance of stunning Boston on the road, they needed to spark runs similar to the ones they had throughout Game 4.

Unfortunately, a 9-0 Boston run to end the first quarter and then Payton Pritchard’s incredible shot from half-court to cap off a 19-7 run to increase the Celtics’ lead to 21 entering halftime dealt fatal blows to the Mavericks’ confidence.

The slow starts of Dončić and Irving made these punches worse, only having 14 points after the first half. Even though they scored 29 points combined in the second half, the bench was unable to provide significant assistance as it was too late for Dallas to take back the momentum.

Despite the end to the season, the Mavericks can be proud of their Finals run. Taking down talented teams like the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves proved that they are more than capable of making noise in a stacked Western Conference.

Now, every team will have a target on Boston’s back, looking to dethrone them as a lot of questions will have to be answered this offseason. Nonetheless, the Celtics are champions and will cherish this season for a long time.

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