Mavs, Celtics to Benefit from Olympics?

Jayson Tatum had quite the last few controversial months. The Boston Celtics won an NBA championship against the Dallas Mavericks, but he didn't earn either the NBA Finals MVP or the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Next, on the odd occurrences of Tatum's year, Steve Kerr didn't play the 2024 NBA champion in both games vs. Serbia.

However, Jeff Teague, co-host of the Club 520 podcast, claims Celtics fans need not worry.

“If you’re a Boston Celtics fan, y’all should be thanking USA Basketball. Because now y’all get on another championship on the way," Teague claimed on a recent Club 520 episode.

A player of Tatum's stature to collect DNP makes for polarizing commentary on Olympic basketball and critiques on Kerr's rotation. However, the rest Tatum and Jaylen Brown's legs are receiving will pay dividends when the Celtics defend their championship for the 2024-25 season.

Another player who will benefit from not getting playing time in the Olympics is Luka Doncic. While Slovenia didn't qualify for the Paris Olympics, there is no question that Doncic would have played an unforgiving number of minutes, unlike Tatum for Team USA.

The Mavericks superstar needed rest, especially after suffering multiple ailments during the 2024 NBA Finals run. If it weren't for Greece knocking out Slovenia in the Olympic qualifying tournament, perhaps Doncic would come into the 2024-25 season banged up, not at 100 percent.

Will the rest from the Olympics allow the Celtics and Mavericks to face off in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season?