Jayson Tatum has been making rounds on late-night TV promoting his new children’s book, *Baby Dunks-a-Lot: A Picture Book*, and recently made a headline-grabbing prediction during his appearance on *The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon*. Tatum confidently predicted that the 2025 NBA Finals will be a rematch of last season, with the Boston Celtics facing off against the Dallas Mavericks once again.
Tatum is coming off a strong playoff run, where he averaged 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 42 percent from the field. Despite some struggles, the Celtics dominated their way through the Eastern Conference before defeating the Mavericks in the Finals, winning the series 4-1. Following the season, Tatum signed a lucrative five-year, $314 million contract extension.
As for whether Tatum’s prediction will come true, the Celtics, while highly talented, face challenges, particularly with their lack of depth at the big-man position. Kristaps Porziņģis is expected to be out until Thanksgiving at the earliest, and his absence creates a noticeable gap in Boston’s lineup that could be exploited by teams with strong inside play, like the Philadelphia 76ers with Joel Embiid.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics will face tough competition from teams like the Knicks, 76ers, and Bucks. Meanwhile, the Mavericks will have their own challenges in the stacked Western Conference, where teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves could present a tougher path to the Finals. Despite Boston’s weaknesses, the Mavericks may face an even more difficult journey to reach the championship again.
