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BOSTON — Jrue Holiday spearheaded the Celtics' offense, Derrick White executed a
critical chase-down block, and contributions from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
in both passing and defense secured Boston's 105-98 victory over the Dallas
Mavericks on Sunday night, granting the Celtics a commanding 2-0 lead in the
NBA Finals.
Holiday notched an impressive 26 points and 11 rebounds. White's pivotal sprint
down the court to block Dallas' last opportunity for a comeback epitomized the
team's tenacious defense. As a result, Boston is inching closer to an
unprecedented 18th NBA championship.
Team Effort Over Individual Accolades
Celtics' coach Joe Mazzulla emphasized the collective effort, stating, “I’m really
tired of hearing about one guy or this guy or that guy and everybody trying to
make it out to be anything other than Celtic basketball. Everybody that stepped
on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the floor.”
Tatum compensated for his off night shooting by dishing out 12 assists, grabbing
nine rebounds, and scoring 18 points. Brown added 21 points and three steals.
White contributed 18 points and three steals, while Peyton Pritchard's only field
goal—a half-court buzzer-beater—gave Boston an 83-74 lead at the end of the
third quarter.
Mavericks' Struggle Despite Doncic's Triple-Double
Mavericks' star Luka Doncic made history with the franchise's first NBA Finals
triple-double, recording 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. However, his
performance was insufficient as he managed only three points in the fourth
quarter. His three-point play with 1:15 remaining in the game briefly narrowed
Boston’s lead to 103-98, but subsequent missed opportunities sealed Dallas’ fate.
“Luka is a special player—if not the best player in the world—and he causes a
problem,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s able to create open
opportunities and we just didn’t take advantage of them.”
Defensive Prowess and Key Plays
A critical sequence late in the game saw Derrick Jones Jr. block Tatum's dunk
attempt, followed by White and Brown blocking P.J. Washington's potential dunk,
underscoring Boston's defensive dominance. Brown then scored a layup, and
Doncic missed a crucial floater, ending Dallas’ comeback hopes.
Celtics’ Historical Dominance
With this win, Boston has now won the opening two games in the NBA Finals nine
times, and they have never been forced to a Game 7 after doing so. As the series
shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4, the Mavericks face the daunting task of ending
Boston’s undefeated postseason road record to avoid a sweep.
Tatum and Brown’s Dual Threat
A day after Kidd attempted to create friction in the Celtics' locker room by
suggesting Brown—not Tatum—was Boston’s best player, the Celtics showcased
why their team-centric approach makes such debates moot.
Kristaps Porzingis, despite struggling with an injury, contributed 12 points. Tatum
had a rough shooting night, going 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-
point range, but the team's collective effort compensated for individual struggles.
Irving’s Continued Struggles
Kyrie Irving, who has become a target for Boston fans’ animosity since his
departure in 2019, scored 16 points but extended his losing streak against the
Celtics to 12 games.
Boston’s shooting woes were evident as they missed their first eight three-point
attempts and went 10-for-39 from long range overall. Nevertheless, their defense
and team effort proved too formidable for Dallas.
The Celtics' fans, energized by their team’s gritty performance, are already making
space in the rafters for another championship banner. Games 3 and 4 in Dallas will
be pivotal as the Mavericks strive to keep their championship hopes alive.
