Predicting the Celtics surprising X-factors in NBA Finals vs Mavericks

The Boston Celtics are set to face off against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals even though the franchise has barely faced any healthy challenges up to this point. The Mavericks are loaded with talent as Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic leading the charge. Defending Doncic and Irving will force the Celtics to depend on two top starters. These two veterans will likely need a special performance if they want a chance to win this final series

Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown have been important for the Celtics this season and have needed to make huge plays to help them reach the Finals. Brown goes into this series averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 54 percent shooting for the entire postseason while Holiday goes into this series averaging 16 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 48 percent shooting from the floor.

Brown and Holiday are both all-world defenders and will likely need to be those versions of themselves if the Celtics want any chance at stopping Dallas' defense. One of the biggest reasons why the Mavericks have been able to make it to the Finals is because of their pick-and-roll success with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving at the center of it.

With Irving and Doncic set to have huge series, Boston will likely need two veteran starting guards to have big games on the defensive end of the floor.

Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday defensive performance will be key difference in series

Even though Irving and Doncic will be guarded by multiple defenders in this series, the Celtics will likely use Brown/Holiday for a good chunk of the NBA finals. Yes, Kristaps Porzingis's pick-and-roll defense will likely be a huge difference in whether the Celtics win this series.

Still, the franchise will need great defensive performances from Holiday and Brown if they want to win this series. Everything in the Mavericks' offense flows from the creation of Doncic and Irving and disrupting them means holding down Dalls' big men and complementary scorers like P.J. Washington. This means that Holiday and Brown will likely need to turn up on the defensive end if they want to be raising banner number 18.

Yes, Doncic and Irving will get theirs but it will likely go a big way if the Celtics can contain the two stars in screen actions. This likely means that Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday will be two big X-factors in whether the franchise win the series.