As the NBA season reaches its climax, three former Blue Devils are competing to help win the game’s most prestigious prize for their teams. The Blue Zone breaks down the performance of Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II in the NBA Finals:
Tatum’s facilitating effort helps Celtics dominate early
Jayson Tatum’s development as an all-around player has been showcased through the first two games of the NBA Finals. In 2022, Tatum would frequently drive with his head down, force contested jump shots and turn the ball over. In fact, against the Warriors in his previous NBA Finals appearance, Tatum averaged just under four turnovers per game. In 2024, the Celtics superstar has yet to find his shooting stroke, averaging a subpar 29% clip from deep, but has consistently made the right plays. His assist tally of 8.5 per game through the first two in the series shows just that.
Tatum’s struggles scoring the ball are a bit puzzling. The 26-year old has no shortage of playing experience in high pressure situations, with five previous trips to the Eastern Conference Finals under his belt. However, part of that is due to the defense Dallas is playing. The Mavericks are sending two to three bodies at Tatum as he looks to score, allowing key role players like Jrue Holiday and Derrick White to make plays. If Dallas switches up its approach, look for Tatum to step up as a scorer to compliment his skillset as a facilitator.
Irving faces shooting woes, looks to bounce back
Kyrie Irving has yet to hit a three in this year’s NBA Finals. As the second option on a squad that won the Western Conference Finals, Irving has averaged 14 points per game on 35% shooting from the field. Not only has he struggled to score the basketball, but his efforts as a passer have left much to be desired. The eight-time NBA All-Star put up a total of eight assists in the opening games, but off the statsheet it is noticeable that Boston’s defensive pressure is forcing Irving into uncomfortable situations.
In games three and four in Dallas, the Mavericks need Irving to be at least the third-best player on the court. After all, he is the only player on the squad’s roster with finals experience, and it is known that he can step up to the occasion — he did so in 2016. Once Irving finds his shooting touch he can light up the scoreboard and turn a game around in minutes, which is exactly what this struggling Mavs team needs. Given his track record, expect a big game three in a nearly must-win situation.
Lively’s inexperience shows
While not asked to take on nearly the role of the former two Blue Devils in the NBA Finals, this is the first series in Lively’s playoff run that he truly looks like a rookie. Across the first two contests, he has totaled four points on 50% shooting and turned the ball over four times. Though the former Duke standout has struggled on the offensive end, his presence was best felt as a rebounder, notching seven in game two alone. In the opening two games, the Celtics took away Lively as a lob threat, opting to force star guard Luka Doncic to make plays in traffic by himself. As the Mavericks return to Dallas, Lively will look to bounce back and feed off what will surely be a raucous environment at the American Airlines Center.
