Mavericks wing disagrees with 'underdog' tag entering NBA Finals

The Dallas Mavericks took a significantly more difficult path to the 2024 NBA Finals than the Boston Celtics, but the latter is rightfully labeled the favorite. After all, Joe Mazzulla's team boasts five active/former All-Stars and another player in Derrick White who leads his team in 3PM and is an elite defender.

In short, the Celtics are stacked, unlike a Mavericks team that includes at least three key players — P.J Washington, Derek Lively II and Jaden Hardy — in the middle of their first-ever playoff run. Many analysts feel the Mavs' postseason inexperience could cost them against the more battle-tested Celtics. However, Derrick Jones Jr. has pushed back against that theory.

"We believe that we can beat anybody," Jones told reporters on Monday, via Abby Jones of Bally Sports Southwest. "Underdog — I don't like that, really. Everybody's going to keep putting that narrative on us. If we go out there and play the game like we're supposed to play it, I don't really think anybody can beat us in a seven-game series."

While Jones doesn't view his team as the underdog, oddsmakers disagree. To put things in perspective, the Mavs are trying to become the third biggest underdog to win an NBA Finals since 1988.