Two days from his 34th birthday, Holiday logged team highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds Sunday night. He made 11 of his 14 shots. Defensively, he drew Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić late, wearing down both. It was everything Boston needed.
Mavs coach Jason Kidd was likely using a little gamesmanship Saturday when he said, "Well, Jaylen's their best player."
Little went right in Game 1 for Irving, who struggled with his shot and finished a game-worst minus-19 on the night.
Here's a deep dive into what this championship series will mean for the legacies of so many of the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.
The data regarding the overall success of the NBA Finals' best player depends on how you slice it, but one thing is for sure: Each Finals is its own animal.
An 0-3 hole in the conference finals has resurfaced concerns about Minnesota's roster going forward.
Bill Walton was one of a kind and lived life to its fullest, even more than his résumé as one of the game's greatest.
Boston is one of a handful of teams that never had to face a 50-win opponent on its path to the NBA Finals.
Did the snub motivate Brown's playoff career high? "We’re two games from the Finals," said Brown, "so honestly I ain’t got the time to give a f***.”