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Celtics Secure 18th NBA Championship
Boston’s Celtics have secured an unprecedented 18th NBA championship, thanks to the contributions of their players. Jrue Holiday led the scoring with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick White contributed a chase-down block. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown also contributed with their passing and defense. The Dallas Mavericks can stop worrying about who Boston’s best player is, as everyone contributes to the Celtics’ quest for an unprecedented 18th NBA championship. Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who scored 32 with 11 rebounds and 11 assists, said that they are the No. 1 team in the NBA with the No. 1 record. Dallas coach Jason Kidd said that it was not all on him, but it was a team effort.
Doncic’s Performance
Doncic, who was listed as questionable to play less than two hours before the opening tipoff, had his 10th career playoff triple-double but scored only three points in the fourth, converting a three-point play with 1:15 left as Dallas scored nine in a row to cut a 14-point deficit to 103-98. After Derrick Jones Jr. blocked Tatum’s dunk attempt, White ran down the court, joining with Brown to block P.J. Washington’s potential dunk. Brown made a layup at the other end, and then Doncic missed a one-footed, running floater from 3-point range with 28 seconds left, ending Dallas’ last chance at a comeback.
Game 2 Highlights
The Celtics have not lost on the road this postseason, winning the opening pair in the NBA Finals for the ninth time in the past eight games. Boston showed why it doesn’t matter who the team’s best player is, as the two All-Stars combined to make 2 of 12 3-point attempts but filled up the box score in other ways. The Boston Celtics took a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2, a thrilling back-and-forth game. The Mavericks, who had lost 12 games in a row against the Celtics, were excited by the crowd’s enthusiasm. Irving, who scored 16 points, was disappointed in his ability to convert more opportunities in the lane.
Upcoming Games
The Celtics have a 43-1 series record when leading a best-of-7 2-0 series, with their only loss being in the 2018 East finals. The Mavericks will head to the American Airlines Center for Games 3 and 4, where they are 5-3 so far during these playoffs. In Game 2, the Mavericks took a 13-6 lead in the first quarter, their largest lead of the night, before Boston took the lead in the second quarter. Luka Doncic finished with 32 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds, marking his seventh triple-double this postseason. However, his eight turnovers marred Dallas’ efforts to tie the series as the Mavericks look to bounce back Wednesday in Game 3.
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Key Adjustments for the Teams and the Impact of Trades
The biggest adjustment either team made from Game 1 to Game 2 was Jayson Tatum‘s willingness to pass, even if his shot wasn’t falling. Tatum had 12 points on Sunday, his high for this postseason, and picked apart the Mavs’ on-ball pressure by finding cutters (Jrue Holiday was a favorite target) and spraying it out for 3 to keep Dallas honest from packing the paint. The biggest adjustment was the Celtics trading for Kristaps Porzingis and Holiday last offseason, which widened the Celtics’ margin for error immensely. Porzingis’ health going forward in the series is a key factor. Doncic was much more aggressive from the beginning and finished with 23 points at halftime.
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