There’s an X-factor in the NBA Finals who could possibly tip the scale more than anyone else.
He’s playing against his former team. Many admire him, others dislike him. He’s been trying to remove one narrative surrounding his career and replace it with another.
No, it’s not Kyrie Irving, though he does happen to also check all those boxes. As the NBA Finals unfold, Kristaps Porzingis has a chance to give the Celtics another level of firepower the Mavericks simply can’t match – that is, of course, if he’s close to fully healthy.