BOSTON (AP) 鈥� As the and Boston Celtics prepare to tip off the NBA Finals, the four biggest names in the series are looking at this moment through different lenses.
Boston鈥檚 Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown 鈥� the on their roster 鈥� see it as a chance at redemption after falling just short two seasons ago and then failing to return last year.
鈥淵ou think that you鈥檙e young, if you鈥檝e been once, you鈥檒l continue to keep going," Tatum said. 鈥淲e realized that last year. We kind of took it for granted at certain moments.鈥�
And now?
鈥淚鈥檓 not thinking about what it would mean for my legacy or anything like that,鈥� he said. "Just excited to play some basketball ... and go out there and try to get the job done.鈥�
Dallas鈥� Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving see it as their first opportunity to make good on a partnership that began late last season after Irving was traded from Brooklyn following a tumultuous run of two-plus seasons with the Nets.
But the duo was still learning to play with each other during their truncated time together last season and didn鈥檛 make it to the postseason. After a slow start this season, they found cohesion after the All-Star break and emerged from a deep Western Conference field.
For Irving, it has been a reminder that . He won his lone championship with Cleveland in 2016 and has played with three teams over the past eight years. His time in Dallas has reinvigorated him.
鈥淭hese young guys are very hungry. They want a championship. I want a championship,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o our feelings are very mutual. But I鈥檝e always reminded them that this is a process. Failure is going to be part of this, too. Get it out your mind that this is about to be a clean sweep or everything is about to feel good throughout this journey and all that.
"I鈥檓 just very real, very honest. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 helped me grow as a leader."
Doncic credits the for uncorking the potential of a team that entered the postseason as a fifth seed.
鈥淗is leadership is amazing," Doncic said. 鈥淭he way he connects us. I think me and Kyrie are the leaders of this team, but he鈥檚 the one that鈥檚 been in the Finals. He鈥檚 the one that won in the Finals. He鈥檚 the one that is really leading it.鈥�
They鈥檒l matchup with a Boston team playing like a group that has learned from its recent shortcomings. That was exhibited during a 64-win regular season that established it as a favorite to raise the franchise鈥檚 18th championship banner entering the postseason.
Through the first three rounds, the Celtics have met the challenge, losing just two games along the way under the .
They鈥檝e also benefited from an offseason shakeup of its roster that saw longtime emotional leader Marcus Smart and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon traded in favor of 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, who won a championship with Milwaukee in 2021.
Brown said a core that features seven players from the 2022 team that lost in the Finals to Golden State, is up to the challenge.
鈥淚 think this is a special group. I really do,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to go through the experiences of having success but not having success at the same time. I think to solidify the ultimate goal is to get over the hump and win. I think that will add a lot to our legacy. But as of right now, that story is kind of still untold.鈥�
COACHING PERSPECTIVES
This stage is nothing new to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who is in the Finals for the fifth time as a player or coach.
He has experienced lows, such as losing back-to-back trips to the Finals in 2002 and 2003 as a player with the New Jersey Nets. He has also seen success, earning his lone title as a player with Dallas in 2011 at age 38 and one as an assistant on the Lakers 2020 championship team.
The biggest lesson he has taken away is to approach it like business and be ready to live with the results. That has been his message to his team throughout these playoffs.
鈥淭his is the best of the best at the highest level,鈥� Kidd said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun. That鈥檚 what the Finals are all about, is seeing what team is going to step forward and take advantage of mistakes.鈥�
Mazzulla was an assistant on Ime Udoka鈥檚 staff in 2022. What he learned from that experience is that the details of winning never change, even on this stage.
鈥淭he toughest team will win,鈥� Mazzulla said. 鈥淭he team that makes the most plays will win. The team that can execute the details at a high level will win. It鈥檚 no different.鈥�
FRIENDS AND COMPETITORS
Irving is ready for what he expects to be an icy greeting from Boston鈥檚 home crowd for Game 1 on Thursday.
Celtics fans haven鈥檛 held a high opinion of him since he ended two disappointing seasons in Boston by leaving for the Nets and joining Kevin Durant in free agency in 2019.
He then rankled the Boston faithful even more when he at fans after making a shot during Brooklyn鈥檚 first round playoff series loss to the Celtics in 2022. But he said he is looking forward to matching up with 鈥渂rothers鈥� and former teammates Tatum and Brown.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e gotten tremendously better. They鈥檝e led their team to this point. So I鈥檓 proud of them,鈥� Irving said. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to the competition because this is what we鈥檝e all strived for since we were kids, basketball at this level playing against the best of the best.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press
