Can the Mavericks take Game 5 and extend the NBA Finals? | Good Word with Goodwill

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. Hear the full conversation on “Good Word with Goodwill” - 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 in Kyrie in games one and two that he let the crowd get to him a little too much or was that Boston defense?

And he can figure that out?

What did you see in games one and two compared to three and four?

Yeah, I I'm actually gonna say Boston defense, you know, o obviously, there is an emotional component to, you know, him going back and playing in Boston.

Um and that definitely exists, you know, as a competitor, right, just wanting to like hammer at home and drop 40 right kind of thing.

Um But I did think that Boston's defense was impressive.

I thought that they sent layers at him defensively and layers means that once one layer is broken, it's a second layer that's stepping up to help and once that layer is broken because Kyrie will break down two defenders, then it's a third layer that's there.

And I just thought they did a really good job of just showing him constant layers, constant defenders in front of him and making him like extra work for all of his shots.

Um And so I feel like Kyrie can figure that out.

Um But what I'm gonna say is like, I actually truly believe that everything for the Mavs will stem from their defense because they do better when they're playing with pace and when they're able to get out and score the basketball and Kai can flow in the open court and the open court doesn't happen unless you're getting steals, unless you're getting quick rebounds and you're outlet and you're getting out there.

Right?

And so I think pace is important for Kai and for Luca, but obviously the Mavs overall.

And so I think that the first, maybe two games, their pace looked a little bit slower and therefore Kai looked a little bit more stagnant, right?

And when pace looks slower, he looked stagnant, there are more defenders there.

Now things look clu and he can't operate like we know he can.

Um So I would say, I feel like, you know, the defense and setting the tone and then pace is super important, but I definitely think that Kai has to be fantastic.

Uh, in game five, I think that he has to be electric, flip it to Boston side.

They didn't get a game from Jrue Holiday who had a lot of turnovers.

He didn't get a game from Derek White, like nobody really had anything they can hang their hat on.

What do you see from those two?

Cause I feel like they're gonna get a response from one of those two in game five.

Yeah, I, I, and I think I would be banking on Derek White a little bit more.

Um, you know, it was minus 29 today and 31 minutes of play and he has just been so solid, so consistent, so efficient and it kind of was almost like he was due for a bad game, you know, like it just, it 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 was look for him to do what he's been doing right, stretch the floor, knock down open shots, make good decisions offensively.

Um And then in terms of holiday, right, I think his focus becomes the defensive side of the basketball.

Can I change the game with my defense?

Can I make kai, you know, have a tough game, like games one and game two, right?

Where a it's just Luca chucking up every time and like, hey, our team is good, we've neutralized the main threat if they're going to win.

Boston is going to have to be plus 18 plus 20 from three.

Like they were in game three because they're not going to take the tools and you're not sure if they're going to really get to the line because Tatum and Brown aren't blow by you guys that can just draw contact and make it so obvious that the refs are going to have to call it if Boston is going to be who they are.

And like I said, this ain't my get down.

It ain't how I kick it.

But if they're going to be the team that takes the majority of their shots from three, they're gonna have to take a lot more threes and buy them in game five.