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The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night, losing 105-98. Jrue Holiday led the Celtics with 26 points in a balanced scoring effort, while Luka Doncic shone for the Mavericks with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Despite concerns over Doncic's injury status, the Mavericks started strong. Doncic scored six quick points, helping Dallas to a 13-6 lead before the first Celtics timeout at the eight-minute mark. Early foul trouble for Dallas allowed Boston to capitalize at the free-throw line, but the Mavericks maintained their lead for most of the first quarter. Thanks to a late scoring burst from Kyrie Irving, Dallas led 28-25 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, both teams traded runs. A 9-0 Celtics spurt gave them a brief lead, but Dallas quickly responded. The teams exchanged leads throughout the period until Boston took a slight edge, 54-51, at halftime thanks to a pair of free throws from Jaylen Brown and a three-pointer by Holiday.
The third quarter saw the Celtics maintain a narrow lead, with Dallas struggling to close the gap. Boston began to pull away as the Mavericks' role players missed crucial shots, extending their lead to 12 points. A buzzer-beating three-pointer from Peyton Pritchard left Dallas trailing 83-74 heading into the final quarter.
Despite their efforts, the Mavericks couldn't significantly cut into Boston's lead in the fourth quarter. A series of key plays, including a costly turnover by P.J. Washington and missed shots by Irving, allowed the Celtics to extend their lead back to 12 points. An 8-0 run brought Dallas within six points with 75 seconds remaining, but a missed call on a potential fast-break opportunity for Washington and defensive lapses sealed their fate. Boston secured a 2-0 series lead with a 105-98 victory.Read More......
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