The anticipation around the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks generated much excitement, particularly in predictions for the NBA Finals MVP. Although Nikola Jokić was ultimately the season’s MVP, it’s worth examining the strong candidates who had compelling chances to secure the award. With the Celtics winning against the Mavericks, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday all had strong seasons.
Jaylen Brown and the NBA Finals
Jaylen Brown, with strong odds at +650, was a noteworthy contender. Brown’s Eastern Conference Finals MVP win over Jayson Tatum highlighted his remarkable performance under pressure. Entering the Finals, Brown had an implied probability of 13.33% to win the MVP award compared to Tatum’s 53.49%.
Despite Tatum being favored, Brown’s postseason stats closely matched his. He maintained shooting over 50% from the field in 11 out of his 14 games. Had he continued this streak in the finals and overshadowed Tatum’s scoring struggles, Brown might have swung the consensus in his favor.
Jayson Tatum’s Strong Case
Jayson Tatum was the leading candidate for the Finals MVP heading into the series. While his shooting performance was inconsistent, Tatum’s contributions in rebounding and passing were invaluable.
Averaging over five assists per game during his last three playoff runs, including two trips to the NBA Finals, showcased his versatility. If he managed to match Brown’s scoring while maintaining his supportive role, Tatum would have likely secured the MVP title due to his comprehensive skill set and high usage rate.
Jrue Holiday the Underdog
JRue Holiday presented an interesting dark horse option with odds at +5000. His performance in recent playoff games had been stellar, averaging 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game since Game 3 against Cleveland in the second round. Additionally, Holiday’s shooting efficiency stood out, with 59.2% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc.
Holiday’s potential MVP case was also bolstered by his defensive capabilities. By taking on and potentially neutralizing Dallas’ star player, Luka Doncic, Holiday could have mirrored past MVPs such as Andre Iguodala and Kawhi Leonard, who earned their accolades through exceptional defensive efforts against top opponents.
The 2024 MVP Winner
Although Nikola Jokić ultimately secured the season MVP award for his outstanding performance throughout the year, players like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday were all legitimate contenders for the NBA Finals MVP title during a highly competitive series between Boston and Dallas.
Each brought unique strengths to their teams, making them worthy of close consideration and demonstrating just how unpredictable and thrilling basketball can be at its highest level.
‘Wonder Woman 3’ Gets Canceled Two Years After Its Announcement
On December 27th, 2020, Warner Bros. officially announced the third installment of Wonder Woman. On December 9th, 2022, news broke out that the movie isn’t going forward. What happened? It’s not that the film doesn’t have fans. The first installment scored over $822.8 million at the box office. Still, Warner Bros. has decided it no longer wants to move forward with the movie.
Why Did the Next Film Get Canceled
The first time the public heard about Wonder Woman 3 not being made was when The Hollywood Reporter released a report about James Gunn and Peter Safran, and their plans. Gunn responded to the report in a series of tweets, essentially confirming some of the stuff and saying others simply aren’t true.
Gunn also said that his goal is to give each DC character the attention they deserve. Surely, canceling the upcoming film won’t make everyone happy, but Gunn believes it’s for the greater good. Fans will have to wait some more for answers about DCU as a whole.
How Successful Was Wonder Woman: 1984?
The second Wonder Woman film was released in 2020 and had a decent box office, given the period. Apparently, that prompted Warner Bros. to decide to continue with a third installment on December 27, 2020. The idea might have been to fast-track the whole production, but now it becomes clear there won’t be a continuation.
The third sequel was supposed to have Patty Jenkins as director and Gal Gadot starring as the main character. Now that the film’s been canceled, it remains unclear whether Gadot will return in any upcoming movies featuring Wonder Woman. Some claim she might appear in DC Comic films as Amazon Warrior Diana Prince.
Other characters that were rumored to be involved in the third installment are Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal.