History says the 2024 NBA Finals are set

Teams are 154-0 when they take a 3-0 series lead in an NBA playoff series.

Unless the Pacers or the Timberwolves rewrite the history books, your 2024 NBA Finals are set. On June 6, the Mavericks and Celtics will collide in Game 1 of this year's championship round.

Of course, the closeout games are typically the hardest, meaning the Celtics and Mavericks can expect their opponents to put up a valiant fight in Game 4. To that end, Dallas coach Jason Kidd doesn't expect his troops to underestimate Minnesota after his team's 116-107 win in Game 3 on Sunday. 

"Composure, poise and the truth," Kidd said of his team's mindset heading into Game 4. "We always speak the truth to one another. That doesn't happen a lot in this league. The poise of this group and the energy is at a high. I haven't seen that a lot in this league, and it's a beautiful thing to see, and to be involved with. The poise and trust they have in one another — they aren't afraid of [Dante] Exum or P.J. [Washington] taking a big shot to win a game." 

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla echoed similar views after his Celtics claimed a 3-0 series lead over the Pacers. 

"You can sit there and say we're one win away, but we're 48 minutes and 200 possessions [away]," Mazzulla told reporters on Sunday, via Noa Dalzell. "We have no idea what's gonna happen. We have to stay prepared, understand the details and be open-minded to take on whatever we need to take on."

If the chips fall as they should, the Celtics will play in their second NBA Finals in three years and attempt to win their first championship since 2008. The Mavericks, meanwhile, would be returning to the finals for the first time since capturing their franchise-first title in 2011. 

Either way, one franchise looks set to end more than a decade's wait for championship glory.