Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla Prepares for Unstoppable Mavericks Duo in NBA Finals

The Dallas Mavericks have reached their third-ever NBA Finals after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference finals.

Their triumph is largely attributed to the exceptional performances of their superstar duo, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who have delivered spectacular scoring displays throughout the playoffs.

Given the duo's remarkable performance, rival coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics believes no strategy can completely neutralize them.

As Game 1 of the Finals approaches this Thursday, Mazzulla dismissed the notion that the series will hinge solely on whether the Celtics can limit Doncic and Irving.

"The whole thing is that's what people like to focus on," the Boston coach said this past Saturday.

"They don't look at the game as a connected game. If those guys play well, then they beat you. They don't look at your offense, your defense, your turnovers, your second-chance points or your execution at the offensive end."

Mazzulla emphasized the need to focus on playing a comprehensive game rather than solely defending the Mavericks' stars.

"The whole thing that this series is about 'stopping those two guys,' there is no stopping them," Joe explained. "There's defending them at a high level and there's playing a complete game because every part of a game is connected."

Reflecting on the Mavericks' series against the Timberwolves, Mazzulla noted that despite the 4-1 series outcome, each match was highly competitive.

He stressed that the entire game is crucial, not just the final moments.

He remarked that Minnesota's downfall was due to controllable factors throughout the game.

"We're not here to stop these guys," Mazzulla shared. "We're here to play a complete game of basketball and have an understanding of how everything has an effect on everything else. They're going to score. It's what they do best. If we don't take care of the things that are within our control, then that doesn't put us in the best possible position to win."

The Celtics' players echo their coach's perspective, showing respect for the Mavericks' superstars.

Despite facing a formidable challenge in Irving and Doncic, Boston is not planning to center their strategy solely around stopping them. Speaking to the press, Derrick White aligned with his coach's approach.

"We know they're great players," the guard said. "There's really no stopping them. You just try to make it difficult for them. They're going to take tough shots and they're going to make tough shots. So, just continuing to trust the game plan, trust that over 48 minutes what we're doing is going to work."

Doncic averaged 32.4 points and 8.4 assists per game in their last series, while Irving added 27 points per game, consistently delivering clutch performances.

White acknowledged this, noting that the key is to persist with the game plan.

"There's going to be stretches where they hit three, four, five tough shots in a row, but you've just got to continue to keep trusting the game plan and what's going to work out in the long run," White added.