Three Key Storylines
- The Jays prepared the ground offensively
- Vacation’s sizzling 3-point capturing continues
- Doncic’s triple-double not sufficient
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd stated earlier than Friday night time’s sport at TD Backyard that the Boston Celtics had been the very best group within the NBA.
They proved him proper.
The Celtics defeated the Mavericks 138-110 to increase their win streak to 10 video games — the longest for any group through the 2023-24 season. Boston’s final loss was Feb. 1 to the Los Angeles Lakes. The Mavericks got here into this matchup with eight wins of their final 10 video games.
The Celtics led just about the complete sport, however the Mavericks made a run within the third quarter and trimmed the deficit to 81-79 halfway by means of the body. The Celtics responded with a dominant stretch of their very own, and by the center of the fourth quarter, their lead was 20.
All 5 Boston starters scored in double-digits, led by Jayson Tatum (32 factors), Jaylen Brown (25 factors) and Kristaps Porzingis (24 factors). The Celtics additionally had been red-hot from 3-point vary, hitting 21 of their 43 makes an attempt.
The Celtics have the league’s finest document at 47-12, giving them a eight-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers.
The C’s will host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on the Backyard on Sunday. However earlier than we look forward to that matchup, listed below are three takeaways from Celtics-Mavs.
Jrue Vacation heating up from 3-point vary
Top-of-the-line developments for the Celtics over the past month has been Jrue Vacation hitting 3-point pictures on a extra constant foundation.
Vacation transformed 55.2 p.c of his makes an attempt from past the arc in February (9 video games), and his sizzling capturing has carried into March. The veteran level guard shot 3-of-3 on 3-pointers in opposition to the Mavericks, together with one the place he was falling out of bounds within the first quarter. It drew an important response from NBC Sports activities Boston shade analyst Brian Scalabrine.
Watch Mike Gorman and Brian Scalabrine’s response to an unbelievable bucket from Jrue Vacation. The Celtics guard sinks the behind-the-backboard three-pointer along with his proper hand whereas falling out of bounds through the first quarter of the Celtics’ Friday night time matchup in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks.
Vacation is now capturing 44.3 p.c from 3-point vary on the season, which might be a profession excessive. He has hit 40 p.c or extra of his 3-pointers in simply considered one of his earlier 14 seasons — the 2021-22 marketing campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Vacation’s 3-point resurgence provides one other dimension to Boston’s offense. There are not any dangerous 3-point shooters within the Celtics’ beginning lineup, and the group as an entire is now capturing a formidable 38.1 p.c on these makes an attempt.
The Jays play one other environment friendly sport offensively
Jayson Tatum had a gradual begin Friday with simply two factors within the first quarter. However he turned it round rapidly with 9 factors within the second quarter and 16 within the third quarter to assist the Celtics enhance their result in 102-90 getting into the fourth.
Tatum completed with 32 factors on 10-of-19 capturing. He made 5 of his 9 3-point makes an attempt, whereas additionally tallying eight rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.
Jaylen Brown has been superior offensively for the reason that All-Star break. He scored 25 factors on 11-of-20 capturing, together with seven rebounds, 5 assists and one steal in 31 minutes versus the Mavs. His 5 factors early within the fourth quarter helped the C’s push their result in 18.
Brown is averaging 26.8 factors — 4.6 greater than his season common — on 60 p.c capturing within the 4 video games after the All-Star break. He is enjoying his finest basketball of the season proper now.
Luka Doncic’s dominant efficiency not sufficient
There is a cause why Doncic is among the many favorites for league MVP. He impacts the sport in so many alternative methods.
His full offensive abilities had been on show in opposition to the Celtics. Doncic got here out firing, hitting six of his first 10 pictures and main all gamers with 16 factors within the opening quarter. He grew to become extra of a playmaker within the second quarter with six assists within the body.
Doncic completed with a triple-double of 37 factors, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 37 minutes.
It is the fortieth 30-point triple-double of his profession, which ranks third all-time and he is simply 25 years previous.
