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By Matt Geagan
/ CBS Boston
BOSTON — Another win. That is all of the Boston Celtics have to deliver house the franchise’s 18th championship and first title in 16 years.
The Celtics are up 3-0 on the Dallas Mavericks within the NBA Finals after a gritty, edge-of-your-seat victory in Dallas on Wednesday night time. The Mavericks got here out with their hair on fireplace to start out the sport, however the Celtics had a solution. And after practically blowing a 21-point lead within the fourth quarter, the Celtics had extra solutions when it mattered probably the most.
The Celtics have now gained a ridiculous 10 straight video games this postseason. They have not misplaced since Might 9. They’re simply the fifth crew in NBA historical past to start out a postseason 15-2.
Listed here are the takeaways from an thrilling 106-99 Boston win in Dallas.
Brown scored 30 factors for the Celtics in Recreation 3, with 24 of these factors coming within the second half. He exploded for 15 factors within the third quarter as Boston outscored Dallas, 35-19, and capped off the quarter with one other indignant jam.
In a postseason filled with indignant dunks from Brown, this was maybe his angriest.
JAYLEN BROWN, MY GOODNESS 🤯 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/s5E9bIF2VR
Jayson Tatum’s response to Brown’s dunk was A-plus as effectively.
This was Jayson Tatum’s response to that Jaylen Brown’s highly effective dunk.
Yeah, however they hate one another, for certain. pic.twitter.com/a3rZyA2RQx
Brown got here up enormous within the fourth quarter too, scoring 9 factors on 4-for-7 capturing. He additionally obtained Luka Doncic to foul out by drawing two fouls on him in a 26-second span, forcing the Mavs famous person to look at the ultimate 4:12 from the bench.
Brown helped the Celtics seal the win with a mid-range jumper to place Boston up by 4 with 1:01 to play. He is taking part in sensible and aggressive ball and has change into a two-way beast. He additionally had eight assists on Wednesday night time.
And in a couple of days, Brown ought to have one other MVP trophy — the Invoice Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy — for his mantle. That ought to go good subsequent to the Larry Fowl Japanese Convention Finals MVP trophy that he earned a couple of weeks in the past.
Tatum obtained his offensive sport going with 31 factors in Recreation 3. He solely shot 11-for-26 general and 4-for-13 from three, however he had 20 factors within the first half to maintain the Celtics inside putting distance when the Mavs had been attempting to tug away.
The Celtics at the moment are 3-0 in postseason video games the place Tatum and Brown each rating 30 or extra factors. Boston’s star duo did not outscore Dallas’, as Doncic had 27 factors (11-for-27) when he fouled out and Kyrie Irving had a game-high 35 factors, however they outplayed the 2 Mavs stars.
With Kristaps Porzingis out, the Celtics wanted Al to step up. He did not have an enormous sport like he did in Recreation 3 towards the Pacers, however he gave the Celtics numerous sturdy protection and scored eight factors off 3-for-6 capturing with 5 rebounds, two steals, and a block.
Joe Mazzulla performed simply eight gamers on Wednesday, as solely Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Xavier Tillman got here in off the pine.
Pritchard was 0-for-4 for the night time, however he performed some stable protection in his 11 minutes. He compelled Doncic and Irving to commit turnovers on again to again possessions early within the second quarter.
Hauser has struggled along with his shot all postseason, however he hit his first three three-pointers and completed with 9 factors to associate with some stable protection.
Tillman performed simply 11 minutes, however introduced some toughness and gritty protection to the ground. He bodied up on Doncic at factors, and was a plus-nine for Boston. He even hit a 3 within the third quarter.
The Celtics took management of the sport within the third. They hit 65 p.c of their photographs (13-for-20) and outscored the Mavs 35-19. Boston was 5-for-11 from downtown, and did not commit a single turnover within the body. It led to a 15-point lead for the C’s heading into the fourth.
The third quarter is normally fairly iffy for the Celtics. Nevertheless it was their finest quarter of the night time on Wednesday, and gave them sufficient of a cushion to have a subpar fourth quarter and nonetheless escape with a win.
The Celtics constructed their result in 21 factors early within the fourth — after which practically gave all of it again once they allowed the Mavs to go on a 22-2 run.
However the C’s made performs once they needed to down the stretch. Brown had a putback off a Tatum miss. Derrick White (16 factors) hit an enormous three off a pleasant feed from Jrue Vacation. Tatum had an enormous slam to place Boston up six with simply over two minutes to play.
And when Dallas made it a two-point sport once more with 1:20 left, Brown knocked down a jumper. White and Tatum then hit their free throws to seal the deal for Boston.
After practically blowing it and letting the Mavs again within the sport (and doubtlessly the sequence), the Celtics made the performs they needed to make in probably the most vital moments. That wasn’t the case with the Celtics two years in the past, however we have been always reminded that it is a a lot, a lot totally different crew than the one which misplaced to the Warriors within the NBA Finals
Doncic is understood for his fourth-quarter heroics and he is burned the Celtics numerous instances previously. This sequence, the Celtics have made “Luka Magic” disappear.
Doncic is simply 3-for-15 (and 0-for-4 from three) with eight factors within the first quarter this sequence. The Celtics are fully carrying him down by attacking him on protection, and Doncic hasn’t had a lot left within the last quarter.
Matthew Geagan is a sports activities producer for CBS Boston. He has been a part of the WBZ sports activities crew for practically 20 years. He moved over to the net in 2012 and has coated all of the highs (and some lows) in Boston sports activities.
First revealed on June 13, 2024 / 12:41 AM EDT
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©2024 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
