Wiggins details how Mavs can stop Celtics defensively in Finals originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Andrew Wiggings knows a thing or two about slowing down the Boston Celtics offense.
In the 2022 NBA Finals, the Warriors forward slowed down Celtics star wing Jayson Tatum en route to Golden State’s 4-2 series victory.
Wiggins explained how the Dallas Mavericks can stop the The Celtics’ ferocious offensewho has the league’s highest rating (119.6) during the 2024 NBA playoffs, in conversation with from Sportsnet Amit Mann and Esfandiar Baraheni on Friday.
“I would say make them uncomfortable,” Wiggins told Mann and Baraheni. “That’s the main thing, making someone uncomfortable. A great player always has one or two moves – his favorite moves, but let’s see if you can get him to do the third, fourth or fifth choice, what will that be like? Keep them uncomfortable.
“Keep that body on them [and] try to wear them out. That was my goal.”
Wiggins served as Tatum’s primary defender in 2022.
While protecting the current face of Boston’s franchise for 51 minutes and 42 seconds, Wiggins limited Tatum to 37.5 percent shooting (21 of 56) and forced eight turnovers.
Tatum finished the series shooting 36.7% from the field and averaging 21.5 points, 7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Comparatively, Wiggins averaged 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 44.6 percent shooting during the 2022 Finals.
Still, the Mavericks will be very busy in this year’s Finals.
In 2024, Tatum is averaging 26 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists on 44.2 percent shooting in 14 postseason games. Fellow Boston guard Jaylen Brown was no slouch either, averaging 25.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists on a dominant 54.1 percent clip.
Brown also averaged 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists against Golden State in the 2022 Finals, and shot a better 43.1 percent compared to Tatum’s 36.7.
Dallas had a tough ride to the finals, defeating the aging LA Clippers in the first round, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinal round, and Anthony Edwards and the the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals.
But the Celtics are a different beast.
The Mavericks would be smart to listen to Wiggins, who helped the Warriors defeat the relatively even Celtics two years ago.
