The Boston Celtics will take the court against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals on this coming Thursday (June 6) evening at TD Garden. And despite the fact that Boston was widely seen as a chief contender even before the 2023-24 regular season and the Mavs much less so, both clubs share a number of parallels that should make this an absolutely scintillating finals matchup.

The prodigal sons of Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis not only returning to face their former teams, but also a place that amplifies their talents. Two younger coaches finding their stride at the same time, and two stars in Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic battling to be the next face of the NBA.

The lists go on and on, but perhaps more important than any other, these teams are both highly adaptable, extremely skilled, and deep. The tactical aspect of this series in particular should be one of the best we've seen in a long time.

To talk it over, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with former Mavs Moneyball editor Andy Tobolowsky. Join us for everything you need to know ahead of Game 1.

The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks, and Gametime.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices