Luka Doncic achieved the first NBA Finals triple-double in Dallas Mavericks history, yet it was not enough to stop Boston from advancing to a record-breaking 18th championship.( Celtics vs Mavs )

By Associated Press

Boston – Jrue Holiday contributed scoring, Derrick White performed a key chase-down block, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown made key contributions with their passing and defense. The Mavericks can stop speculating about Boston’s top player. Every Celtics player on the court is getting them closer to a historic 18th NBA championship.

Holiday tallied 26 points and 11 rebounds, while White sprinted up the court to stop Dallas’ last-ditch effort to limit the game to one possession Sunday night. Boston won 105–98 over the Mavericks, taking a 2–0 lead in the NBA Finals ( Celtics vs Mavs ).

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said, “I’m really tired of hearing about one person or this person or that person and everyone trying to make it something other than Celtics basketball.” “Everybody who stepped on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the court.”

Tatum compensated for a tough shooting night with 12 assists and nine rebounds, adding to his 18 points. Brown contributed 21 points and three steals, White contributed 18 points and three steals, and Peyton Pritchard’s lone basket was a banked half-court shot at the third quarter buzzer, giving Boston an 83–74 lead.

“That’s why they’re the No. 1 team in the NBA with the No. 1 record,” said Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who recorded 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists — the first NBA Finals triple-double for the Dallas franchise. History. “They have a lot of great players. Basically, anyone can get off.”

Doncic, who was questionable to play until less than two hours before the game, recorded the 10th playoff triple-double of his career. However, he scored only three points in the fourth quarter, including a three-point play with 1:15 remaining, as Dallas went on a 9–0 run to cut the deficit to 14 points at 103–98.

After Tatum’s dunk attempt was blocked by Derrick Jones Jr., White teamed up with Brown to pass P.J. Washington chased the court to block a potential dunk. Brown then made a layup on the other end, and Doncic missed a one-foot rushing floater from 3-point range with 28 seconds remaining, ending Dallas’ last chance for a comeback.

“He was great,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Luka is a special player – if not the best player in the world – and he creates a problem. He’s able to create open opportunities and we didn’t take advantage of them.

Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Wednesday and Friday in Dallas. Boston is undefeated on the road this postseason, but the Mavericks need to break that streak to avoid a sweep and bring the series back to the Boston Garden, where local fans are already hoping for a spot on the road for another championship banner. are doing.

This marked the ninth instance that the Celtics secured the first two games in the NBA Finals. Historically, they have won all eight past series and have never been pushed to a Game 7. Just a day after Kidd tried to cause controversy in the Celtics camp by declaring Brown, not Tatum, the team’s best player, an All-NBA first-team selection, Boston demonstrated the insignificance of that claim.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 12 points for the top-seeded Celtics despite a noticeable limp. Tatum struggled with his shooting, making only 6 of 22 attempts and 1 of 7 from beyond the arc; Overall, the Celtics were 10 of 39 from three-point range. Kyrie Irving, who has been the target of local fans’ ire since leaving Boston in 2019, scored 16 points. They have now lost 12 consecutive games against the Celtics.

Unlike their 107–89 win in Game 1 ( Celtics vs Mavs ), where Boston made 7 of 15 three-pointers in the first quarter to establish a 17-point lead, the Celtics missed their first eight long-range attempts on Sunday. Dallas maintained control during the first quarter.

Tatum was scoreless in the first quarter and had only five points at halftime, none of which were successful three-point shots on three attempts. Boston was only 5 of 30 from beyond the arc until Peyton Pritchard banked in a half-court shot at the third quarter buzzer, giving Boston the lead 83–74. The crowd, which was busy booing and chanting at Irving, finally got fired up by Pritchard’s shot. Irving responded to the taunts by shaking his head.

Celtics vs Mavs

Celtics vs Mavs

Celtics vs Mavs