Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill and basketball analyst Isis Young discuss the keys to Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics. Listen to the full conversation about “Good Word with Good Will” – part of the “Ball Don’t Lie” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video transcript
Do you think from what you saw from Kyrie in games one and two, he let the crowd get to him a little too much or was it Boston’s defense?
And can he figure it out?
What did you see in games one and two compared to three and four?
Yeah, I’m actually going to say Boston defense, you know, obviously there’s an emotional component to, you know, him coming back and playing in Boston.
Um, and that definitely exists, you know, as a competitor, right, just wanting to like hammer home and drop 40 things right.
Um, but I thought Boston’s defense was impressive.
I thought they sent layers defensively at him and layers mean once one layer is broken it’s a second layer that’s stepping up to help and once that layer is broken because Kyrie is going to break two defenders then it’s a third layer that is there.
And I just thought they did a great job of just showing him constant layers, constant defenders in front of him and making him put in extra work for all of his throws.
Um, and then I feel like Kyrie can figure it out.
Um, but what I will say is I really believe that everything for the Mavs is going to come down to their defense because they do better when they play with rhythm and when they’re able to come out and score the basketball and Kai can flow in the open court and the court. open doesn’t happen unless you’re getting steals, unless you’re getting quick rebounds and you’re getting out there and getting there.
Right?
And so I think pace is important for Kai and for Luca, but obviously for the Mavs in general.
And so I think in the first, maybe both games, their pacing seemed a little slower and therefore Kai seemed a little more stagnant, right?
And when the pace seems slower, he seems stagnant, there are more defenders there.
Now things seem complicated and he cannot operate as we know he can.
Um, so I would say I feel like defense and setting the tone and pacing are super important, but I definitely think Kai has to be fantastic.
Uh, in the fifth game, I think he has to be electric, turn to Boston’s side.
They didn’t get a game from Jrue Holiday, who had a lot of turnovers.
He didn’t win a Derek White game, as if no one had anything to hang their hat on.
What do you see from these two?
Because I feel like they’re going to get an answer from one of these two in the fifth game.
Yes, me, me, and I think I would bet a little more on Derek White.
Um, you know, it was minus 29 today and 31 minutes into the game and he’s been so solid, so consistent, so efficient and it was almost like he was about to have a bad game, you know, like, This was going to happen.
Um, but I think he’s been one of the most consistent players and members of the Celtics throughout the season, but especially in the playoffs.
So I expected him to do what he’s doing right, stretch the floor, hit open shots, make good decisions offensively.
Um And then in terms of vacation, right, I think his focus becomes the defensive side of basketball.
Can I change the game with my defense?
I can make kai have a hard game like the first and second games, right?
Where it’s just Luca laughing every time and like, hey, our team is good, we neutralize the main threat if they want to win.
Boston will have to be plus-18 plus-20 from three.
Like they’re in game three because they’re not going to pick up the tools and you’re not sure if they’re going to actually get to the line because Tatum and Brown aren’t going to be impressed with you guys who can just make contact and make it so obvious that the refs are going to have to cancel if Boston wants to be who they are.
And like I said, this is not my decision.
That’s not how I kick.
But if they’re going to be the team that shoots the most threes, they’re going to have to shoot a lot more threes and buy them in the fifth game.
