Tonight, the Dallas Mavericks will look to take the next step in turning their dream of making history a reality as they battle the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
Dallas started this series by losing three games in a row and they trailed 3-0, and a Game 4 win on Friday was a step in the right direction to help them make this series interesting. The Celtics are going to come out angry in Game 5, but a Mavericks win tonight would turn the tide of the series.
Dallas would have all of the momentum heading back to the American Airlines Center for Game 6, and one rotation change that Jason Kidd teased during media availability on Sunday could help the Mavs do that.
Jason Kidd teases Tim Hardaway Jr. being back in the Mavericks’ rotation
Following a dominant Game 4 performance from Tim Hardaway Jr. on Friday night, it looks like he is going to get some more run in Game 5. Hardaway Jr. crushed the struggles that had plagued his playoff run, and Kidd seems to trust him more after his dominant performance in the second half of Game 4.
"He looked like Ray and Steph. We're going to need that here in Game 5."
Coach Jason Kidd sounds off on Tim Hardaway Jr. catching fire in Game 4 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/xq3AcJ98do
— NBA (@NBA) June 16, 2024
“He looked like Ray (Allen) and Steph (Curry),” Kidd said. “We’re going to need that here in Game 5. If it’s a close game, hopefully he’s able to be able to knock down those same shots…Hopefully he can build on that.”
Hardaway Jr. became the third player in NBA Finals history to make five 3-pointers in one quarter, and by what Kidd said, it seems like he is going to be in Dallas’ rotation during Game 5. He was not in Dallas’ Game 4 rotation early on, but once Dallas built their massive lead, Hardaway Jr. got some run.
He started 5-5 from downtown in Game 4, and Mavericks fans were loving every moment of his minutes. It seemed like this huge game from Hardaway Jr. helped him get Kidd’s trust back, and another big game from him could help turn the tide of the Finals in Dallas’ direction.
The Mavs’ lack of a third scorer has hurt them in this series, and Hardaway Jr. could turn into that if he remains confident and plays within Dallas’ offense. If he shoots when he’s open, plays smart basketball, and carries the momentum over from Game 4, he could provide the impact the Mavs need to bring this series back to Dallas.
For all the latest on Tim Hardaway Jr., Jason Kidd, and the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boson Celtics and beyond, stay tuned.
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