The Boston Celtics hold a strong 3-1 Finals lead against the Dallas Mavericks heading into Game 5. With the Celtics firmly in control of the series and looking to close it out heading to Boston, we have collected the Finals MVP tracker based on the player’s performances over the first four games of the NBA Finals. The winning team will have the most players competing for the award but don’t sleep on Luka Doncic.
1. Jaylen Brown
2024 NBA Finals Stats: 20.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 49.2% FG, 24.0% 3-PT FG, 70.8% FT, 3.3 TOV
Jaylen Brown is now the frontrunner for the Finals MVP trophy and a big closeout performance in Game 5 will see him earn his first major individual award. Brown has been the most consistent scorer for the Celtics in the Finals and has been almost unstoppable on the fast break. Every time Brown has a head of steam, he finishes at the basket and comes through with timely shots.
In fact, throughout the playoffs, Brown has answered the call when it comes to big shots as we saw in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers with a clutch contested three from the corner to tie the game. With a strong field goal percentage and excellent defensive numbers, Brown has a chance to etch his name into Celtics lore by closing out the Finals.
2. Jayson Tatum
2024 NBA Finals Stats: 20.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 6.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 36.5% FG, 29.0% 3-PT FG, 89.5% FT, 3.5 TOV
Jayson Tatum is right on the heels of Jaylen Brown for the Finals MVP award. Credit needs to be given to Tatum for expanding his all-around game by being a consistent rebounder, playmaker, and defender. Boston’s team is complete with multiple stars but Tatum is still the most talented player on the team but has focused more on impacting the game by playing winning basketball over his scoring numbers.
However, some of his performances haven’t been by design because he is not shooting the ball well from the field and has been loose at times with the ball. If Tatum has a monster Game 5 performance, he could still win the Finals MVP, but as of right now, he trails Jaylen Brown slightly.
3. Luka Doncic
2024 NBA Finals Stats: 29.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 47.0% FG, 25.0% 3-PT FG, 62.5% FT, 4.0 TOV
Luka Doncic is getting criticism for his inconsistent defense and constant whining to the officials, but what does everyone expect? Doncic is one of the best players in the world and plays in the modern NBA, so this type of behavior is almost guaranteed. Regardless, Doncic has held his own and has been the only player on the Mavericks who is playing up to par. His most recent performance in Game 4 was impressive as he dropped 29 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 46.2% from the field.
He has the best numbers on paper and without him, Dallas simply doesn’t stand a chance of winning a single quarter let alone a game in the Finals. Respect needs to be due because the Slovenian has been a problem to deal with and he has more than a few years to develop into one of the most dominant players we have seen in a long time.
4. Jrue Holiday
2024 NBA Finals Stats: 14.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 54.8% FG, 43.8% 3-PT FG, 100.0% FT, 1.3 TOV
Jrue Holiday has a chance to be the missing piece of another championship team as he was with the Milwaukee Bucks. His elite defense, hustle plays, and efficient offense have made the Celtics look unbeatable at times. The two-way guard has to be behind Luka Doncic in the Finals MVP tracker because of how good he makes his team on both ends of the court.
Looking ahead to Game 5, Holiday needs to have an otherworldly performance to somehow sneak in to win Finals MVP but it’s almost a foregone conclusion that he will finish behind his two All-Star teammates by the end of the series and Doncic has been too dominant to ignore. Even so, Holiday will probably want his second championship ring more than anything else.
5. Kyrie Irving
2024 NBA Finals Stats: 21.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 43.4% FG, 25.0% 3-PT FG, 100.0% FT, 2.0 TOV
Kyrie Irving had a strong showing in Game 4 and helped the Mavericks decimate the Celtics. Irving needs to get back on track to extend the series because, before Game 4, he was a major disappointment. The Mavericks needed the best version of Irving to have a chance against the Celtics and he hasn’t answered the call for the first three games.
However, his Game 4 performance (21 points, six assists on 55.6% from the field with a +28) has boosted him ahead of Boston’s Derrick White in the Finals MVP tracker. If Irving can extend the series with another top-quality performance, he could see himself rising up the ranks. Even as the second-best player on the team, Irving needs to be better and provide performances similar to what he did in the 2016 Finals because his teammates need it.
