Celtics beat Mavericks 105-98, take 2-0 lead in NBA Finals as series heads to Dallas
The Boston Celtics took another step toward an unprecedented 18th NBA championship after downing the Dallas Mavericks, 105-98, to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
BOSTON — Jrue Holiday provided scoring. Derrick White added a chase-down block. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown contributed, too — with their passing and defense.
The Mavericks can stop worrying about who Boston’s best player is. Everyone the Celtics put in the game is helping them close in on an unprecedented 18th NBA championship.
Holiday had 26 points and 11 rebounds, and White sprinted down the court to swat away Dallas’ last chance to make it a one-possession game on Sunday night as Boston beat the Mavericks 105-98 to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
“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,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Everybody that stepped on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the floor.”
Tatum made up for a rough shooting night with 12 assists and nine rebounds to go with his 18 points. Brown scored 21 with three steals, White had 18 points and three steals, and Peyton Pritchard’s only basket of the game was a banked half-courter to beat the third quarter buzzer and give Boston an 83-74 lead.
Rating: 5