Facing a tandem as talented as Dallas’s Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving forces opponents to decide what they can and cannot live with on the defensive end.
The Celtics could not stop Doncic, who posted a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He muscled his way into the paint, scoring 12 points from 6 feet and in. He knocked down a pair of midrange jumpers and drilled a game-high four 3-pointers.
But the Celtics could live with Doncic’s scoring because they kept his teammates from providing enough help. Doncic is averaging 8.