It's finally here—the NBA Finals. By the series' end, either the Dallas Mavericks or the Boston Celtics will stand alone atop the NBA mountain as champions. So what does it come down to? Well, it would be easy to say that the Celtics vs. Kyrie would be a fascinating matchup, but what about Kristaps getting the opportunity to face the Mavericks after all that went down there?
What about the legacy of Luka and whether or not the two J's (Jaylen and Jayson) will be able to stick around when all of this is said and done? How will Jason Kidd handle the moment of being a head coach and reaching the finals with the same team that he won a championship with (Dallas in 2011)? Is Joe Mazzulla ready for the moment himself?
There are many headlines that will likely not make the waves at ESPN (they will likely still be focusing on Bronny, the Lakers, or Stephen A's Knicks), but the questions are still going to mount. As such, let's take a look at five players who will have an impact on how this series goes and who ultimately wins.