Boston Celtics champion Jayson Tatum predicted an NBA Finals rematch after beating Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. Tatum said this during his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this week, which ignited hype surrounding a potential Celtics/Mavs rematch in 2025. It also may have inspired Irving to change his profile picture on Instagram, standing on TD Garden’s parquet floor in a picture from the NBA Finals, as many speculate is in response to Tatum’s recent prediction.
After Jayson Tatum stated they’ll meet the Mavs again in the Finals, Kyrie Irving did this.
Who’s up for a rematch?
pic.twitter.com/NdO4mBYc9Q
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 14, 2024
Irving, the former Celtic who famously balked at re-signing with Boston in 2019 before signing with the Brooklyn Nets, has a storied history with the franchise and its fanbase. Kyrie also stepped on the team’s mascot logo moments after he, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and the Nets eliminated his former team in the opening-round series of the 2021 playoffs.
After a busy offseason for the Mavericks’ front office and players, Dallas is positioned to make another deep playoff run in 2025. The Mavs signed five-time All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50 million contract, while Irving underwent successful surgery to correct his broken left hand and will be ready for training camp.
Kyrie Irving participates in Mavericks’ offseason minicamp
Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Klay Thompson, and the Mavericks have already begun training for the upcoming season to prepare for a potential rematch against Jayson Tatum and the champion Celtics. The Western Conference champions are conducting offseason workouts in Los Angeles, and Irving, whose availability was limited, joined his Mavs teammates, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“Kyrie Irving, we know, in July, had surgery on his left hand. But Kyrie, I’m told, was there throughout. He’s very limited in what he can do,” Stein wrote. “At this point, he’s not been cleared yet for a full 5-on-5 hoop. But, basically, what I’ve been told is he remains on course to be cleared in time for training camp. So, I don’t think there’s any concern there. And, of course, it’s in LA, so Southern California native Klay Thompson is going to be there.”
Stein says the offseason bonding has brought the team closer on and off the basketball floor.
“Everything I heard about the minicamp was that the on-court stuff was great, but maybe the off-court stuff was even better, and I could see why that would be kind of the rumble going around about it because it is, you know, it is becoming more common in the NBA,” Stein wrote. “But I don’t know that too many Mavs teams of the past had 15 guys getting together in LA in August.
While Doncic showed off his soccer skills alongside Paolo Banchero, the Orlando Magic All-Star, Luka could be entering 2024-25 in the best shape of his NBA career. The stars are aligned for the Mavs to make another deep playoff run.
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