The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 on Sunday night, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals. Jrue Holiday led the Celtics with a stellar performance, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Despite struggling with his shooting, Jayson Tatum contributed significantly with 12 assists and nine rebounds.
Doncic Shines Amid Injury Concerns
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, initially doubtful for the game, delivered an outstanding performance with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. His triple-double marked a historic first for the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. However, Doncic missed a crucial one-footed, running floater from 3-point range with 28 seconds remaining, which dashed Dallas’ hopes of a comeback.
Key Performances and Stats
- Jaylen Brown: Scored 21 points for the Celtics.
- Jayson Tatum: Despite his shooting woes (6 for 22 from the field, 1 of 7 from 3-point range), Tatum had 12 assists and nine rebounds.
- Derrick White: Added 18 points.
- Kristaps Porzingis: Contributed 12 points despite appearing hobbled.
- Kyrie Irving: Scored 16 points but continued his losing streak against the Celtics, now at 12 straight games.
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Upcoming Games
Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Dallas, followed by Game 4 on Friday. The Mavericks must win at least one of these home games to avoid a potential sweep and force a return to the Boston Garden, where the Celtics’ fans are eagerly anticipating their 18th NBA championship banner.
Historical Context
This marks the ninth time the Celtics have won the first two games of the NBA Finals. In the previous eight instances, they have never needed to go to a seventh game to secure the championship.
Series Outlook
The Mavericks face a critical challenge to level the series in their home games. Failure to win at least one of these games could see the Celtics edge closer to their next NBA title, continuing their impressive Finals history.
