The NBA Finals run through the Lone Star State this year as the Dallas Mavericks look for their first NBA championship since 2011. Here’s three reasons why the Mavericks will win the 2024 NBA championship.

Luka Doncic

No offence to Jayson Tatum, but Luka Doncic is the best player in the NBA Finals and the best player in the Finals tends to end up leading their team to victory. Last year it was Nikola Jokic, the year before it was Steph Curry, then Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lebron James after that, and Kawhi Leonard in 2019.

Heading into the Finals, Doncic is averaging team-highs in points per game (28.8), rebounds (9.6), assists (8.8) and steals (1.6). Through the first three rounds of the playoffs, he is the first player in NBA history to lead the playoffs in total points, rebounds and assists. That’s all in addition to Doncic also leading the playoffs in three-pointers made, free throws made and steals.

If Doncic can run through Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, who is going to stop him on Boston?

Mavericks are Boston’s first real challenge

It’s tough to knock a team for dominating in the playoffs, but Dallas will be the Celtics’ first tough opponent. Remember, Miami didn’t have Jimmy Butler in the first round against Boston, Cleveland was missing Donovan Mitchell in the second round and Indiana was without Tyrese Haliburton for the last two games of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Mavericks have already proven they can handle tough opponents, as they’re the first team since the 2010 L.A. Lakers to beat three 50-win teams to reach the Finals. Dallas knocked out James Harden and the Clippers team in the first round, they beat superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the second round and they went through Anthony Edwards and the T-Wolves in the Western Conference Finals.

Shutting down stars is the Mavs’ speciality and Boston will find that out first-hand in the NBA Finals.

Dallas’ depth

Doncic and Kyrie Irving have been spectacular through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but Dallas is more than their star duo. Rookie Dereck Lively II is coming off a series against Minnesota that saw him nail all 16 shot attempts, becoming the first player ever to shoot 100 per cent from the field on at least 15 shots in a playoff series.

Trade deadline acquisition Daniel Gafford is shooting 61.4 per cent from the field in the playoffs and his 6-foot-10 frame was crucial in shutting down Minnesota’s big men. P.J. Washington has also been key, sitting third on the team with 13.6 points per game. Derrick Jones Jr., Max Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and Jaden Hardy are all players who have stepped up and played crucial roles during this playoff run.

Doncic and Irving will lead Dallas into the Finals, but it’s the depth players that could put the Mavericks over the top.