Jason Kidd Highlighted 4 Tactical Changes to be considered for Mavericks to win Finals….

In the midst of their third-ever NBA Finals matchup with the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks will participate in one of the most important games in the franchise’s history later today.

Dallas must now figure out how to react after suffering a crushing Game 1 loss to the Celtics on Thursday night. The Mavericks, who are infamous for dropping Game 1s during the Jason Kidd era, have been in this situation many times. They need to find a way to even the series at 1 before returning to Dallas.

It would be very difficult to come back from a 0-2 deficit, especially with the skill of the Celtics, and the Mavs would need to go all out for the rest of the series to win the 2024 NBA Finals.

Four rotational shifts For the Mavericks to win the Finals, Jason Kidd must take into aspects
While Luka Doncic’s outstanding performance in Game 1 and P.J. Washington’s emergence as a major X-factor in this series suggest that all is not lost for the Mavericks, Kidd may still need to make some adjustments.

Though Kidd’s strategy has obviously been effective throughout the playoffs, he could need to make a few lineup adjustments to defeat Boston (particularly if the Mavs lose by 0 points).

While it might not be time for the Mavs to abandon the strategy that has led them to this point just yet, Kidd might make some significant adjustments to increase Dallas’ prospects.

In order for the Dallas Mavericks to defeat the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, Jason Kidd needs to make the following four lineup adjustments.

4. Completely bench Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been in a severe shooting slump for several months, but the Dallas Mavericks have given him every opportunity to show that he is worthy of a position in the rotation during the playoffs. His difficulties have crept into the postseason.

Hardaway Jr. is averaging 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He is shooting 37.8 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Hardaway Jr. demonstrated that Jason Kidd cannot rely on him.

Hardaway Jr. finished with zero points and shot 0–2 from the field in just eight minutes of play; it could be time to fully remove him from the postseason rotation. Hardaway Jr. has played in five games so far, averaging just seven points in forty-one minutes. That’s a significant drop when you consider that Hardaway Jr. averaged 14.4 points per game in the regular season.

Hardaway Jr. appeared to be Kidd’s attempt to inject some energy into the offense in the second half of Game 1, but the times when he did so from the bench are long gone.

It’s possible that Hardaway Jr.’s stint in Dallas could come to an end in the 2024 Finals, in which case Kidd would need to find another offensive spark.

3. Increase Jaden Hardy’s minute count.
Jaden Hardy may see increased playing time if Jason Kidd decides to sit Tim Hardaway Jr. entirely. After being in and out of the rotation during the regular season, Hardy has shown tremendous glimpses during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. His boldness and drive have also helped him get back into the rotation.

In the opening contest, Hardy shot 4-8 from the field, 1-3 from beyond the arc, and 4-4 from the free-throw line to end with 13 points, three rebounds, and one assist. Hardaway Jr. isn’t doing anything better than Hardy right now, but most of Hardy’s output came during garbage time when the game was out of reach.

He is a much better lob passer, attacks the rim fearlessly, and blocks open shots. Although Hardy did not play the whole first game with the lob, he is ready for a more advanced role and might help keep the Boston Celtics fans out of the game early.

Hardy’s skill is being a spark plug off the bench, and he may be the unanticipated difference maker that helps the Mavs win the NBA Finals in 2024. His performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals solidified his place in the starting lineup every night. He has never shied away from a big occasion.

2. Completely bench Dante Exum
When the Dallas Mavericks signed Dante Exum to a two-year contract last offseason, they struck gold. Considering that there was no other reported interest in Exum, this move startled some Mavs supporters and initially looked dubious. However, Exum soon demonstrated why he was the ideal fit for the Mavs.

Exum’s ability to be a third ball handler behind Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic was exceptional, and his development as a shooter solidified his place in the rotation. Then, as the season was coming to a finish, he began to struggle, and he carried that into the postseason.

Exum isn’t playing much, but he does occasionally log minutes despite being unusable in the postseason. When he’s in the game, he exudes little confidence, therefore Jason Kidd should consider eliminating him entirely from the lineup.

Similar to Tim Hardaway Jr., he isn’t adding any value to his minutes, and other players ought to be playing in front of him. Exum lacks confidence and is not contributing in any way. He occasionally plays well on defense, but it is not a strong enough reason to keep him in the starting lineup.

1. Put Daniel Gafford in place of Dereck Lively II.
One of the finest basketball teams in the league is the Dallas Mavericks. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford are their two starting centers, and while they provide a formidable one-two punch, going with one center is obviously the wiser choice when facing the Boston Celtics.

Given how well Lively II has been doing, Jason Kidd would choose to start him over Gafford. Compared to Gafford, Lively II uses his feet much more fluidly in space, and given the way Boston’s big men play, the center must be able to close out and play solid perimeter defense.

Clearly, Gafford is the superior player in this series after playing 14 minutes in Game 1 compared to Lively II’s 18 minutes. Gafford blasted by Al Horford in the first minutes of the game as he closed out on a three, setting up a slam for Horford.

It wouldn’t be too much of a change to start Lively II, especially considering he currently plays more and ends games frequently. It may also help the Mavs get out to a strong start.

In order to advance in this series, the Mavs will need Lively II to play at his peak, especially considering that his performance in Game 1 was mostly limited by foul trouble. He may also play a significant role in shutting down Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis was obviously not amused by Lively II’s aggression, but foul play marred his evening.

By no means is this implying that the Mavs should freak out, but a small adjustment to the starting lineup might be the key to a strong start. Lively II has been a little bit better than Gafford, despite the latter having one or two strong games versus the Timberwolves.

Although Kidd has had a fantastic postseason, a few adjustments may be necessary later in this series.

For all the latest on Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, stay tuned.