With a brilliant performance from Jayson Tatum, who scored 31 points, and Jaylen Brown, with 30 points, the Boston Celtics held off a fierce fightback from the Dallas Mavericks to win 106-99 on Wednesday night and take a 3-3 lead. 0 in the NBA Finals, one step away from a record 18 titles!
Jaylen Brown also contributed eight rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics extended their franchise-record 10th straight playoff victory and moved to 7-0 on the road this postseason. With a victory on Friday in Dallas, Boston can clinch the series and surpass the Lakers as the team with the most titles in the NBA.
Even without Kristaps Porzingis, out due to a rare hamstring injury, the Celtics showed strength and consistency, accumulating 10 wins in 11 games in these playoffs. Porzingis’ absence for the remainder of the series is uncertain, but the numbers are in the Celtics’ favor: None of the 156 teams facing a 3-0 deficit have managed to turn around an NBA playoff series.
The Mavericks nearly pulled off an incredible comeback, trying to avoid the big hole — 13 years after the only other comeback to match it in the NBA Finals, which fueled Dallas’ run to its only title against Miami. Boston led 91-70 early in the fourth quarter before Dallas responded with a 22-2 run, cutting the lead to just one point with three and a half minutes remaining.
Luka Doncic, who picked up his sixth foul with 4:12 remaining, tried, along with Kyrie Irving, who scored 35 points, to bring Dallas back into the game. But it was Tatum and Brown who secured the Celtics’ victory, with crucial help from Derrick White, who scored 16 points. The three combined for Boston’s final 13 points, putting the team one win away from its first title since 2008, and just its second since 1986.
In a game that seemed decided early in the fourth quarter, the score was stuck at 93-90 for more than three minutes. Without Doncic, Dallas still managed to close the gap to two points before Brown hit a crucial shot with a minute to play. PJ Washington Jr., Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. failed on their three-point attempts in the final moments, keeping Irving’s personal losing streak against his former team at 13 games.
The energized Dallas crowd was ready for their first Finals game in 13 years, with Super Bowl champion quarterback and Mavs fan Patrick Mahomes frequently rising from his courtside seat. The Mavericks started strong, taking advantage of the crowd’s energy and taking a 22-9 lead. Doncic and Irving shined, combining three-point shots and precise infiltrations.
But the Celtics responded with a 21-9 run at the end of the first quarter. Sam Hauser hit two of his three three-point attempts in the first half, helping seal a run that started with four points from Brown and a three from Tatum. Defense dominated the start of the second quarter, with Boston holding a 5-2 lead nearly six minutes before Irving and Tatum traded 3-pointers to start a scoring outburst.
We are witnessing a historic moment for the Celtics, and with a win on Friday, the city of Boston can finally celebrate its long-awaited 18th title!
Source: Atrevida
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
