Despite Naming Luka Doncic as the Best Player of 2024 Finals, Rachel Nichols Picks Celtics to Win 18th Championship

Thanks to his scoring exploits this postseason, Luka Doncic is just four wins away from realizing his NBA championship dream with the Dallas Mavericks. The route to the Larry O’Brien is tricky because the stacked Boston Celtics stand in the way with fresher bodies. Considering the Celtics’ depth, Rachel Nichols recently revealed that she is betting on The Green Machine to win it all despite Doncic’s greatness on the court.

On the recent episode of UNDISPUTED, Nichols predicted the Celtics to nab their 18th championship. But at the same time, she also declared that Luka Doncic would be the best player in the Finals. According to the former ESPN analyst, NBA Finals basketball doesn’t come down to who has the best player on the roster, but to who has more favorable matchups.

She posited that the Celtics’ defense and depth would neutralize the top performers for Dallas. The veteran analyst also argued that the Celtics have better individual defenders than any team that the Mavs have faced in the playoffs so far.

“He is still gonna be the best player, Luka…I think he is the one who can take the game and affect it more than anyone else who would be on the floor. It’s not always true the team with the best player wins the series and not when Boston is this deep,” Nichols told Keyshawn Johnson and Skip Bayless.

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As per Nichols, it is an uphill climb for Doncic and Co. because Jayson Tatum will be on a mission to lift his maiden NBA title after receiving flak for years for not getting his team over the hump.

“This is a bunch of experienced guys who are ready, Their entire team is big and they are ready. Jayson Tatum has been hearing it for years now, he is ready to face and win this title,” Nicholas added.

This will be the Celtics’ second Finals appearance in three years. The onus is on them to disprove that they are not just in the Finals because of an easier run. On the other hand, the Mavs will be in the Finals for the first time in years with little to no experience.

Many voices share Nichols’ opinion that Tatum and Co. are much more likely to come out on top during the Finals.

Charles Barkley is also leaning the Celts’ way

Charles Barkley is convinced that the Celtics are going to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy. While he didn’t disregard the chances of a deep series, he resolutely picked the Celts to weather the storm. On Inside the NBA, he firmly backed the #1 seed to cast aside the Mavs even if they are without Kristaps Porzingis.

“I still haven’t seen anything to make me think the Celtics are not going to win the championship… Without Porzingis, I still like the Celtics.” 

Barkley also cited Stan Van Gundy and Reggie Miller who observed that the Celts have at least four elite defenders to stall the relentless charge of Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Like Nichols, Chuck also expects the Celtics’ depth to pull through against the top-heavy Mavs.

While the Celtics indeed have the firepower to nab a title, the Mavs ousted three stacked teams in the West. Therefore, it will not be a surprise if we are in for a six/seven game series which can go either way.