The Boston Celtics now lead the 2024 NBA Finals 2-0 after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 at home. The action now swings to Dallas with Boston firmly in control of the series. Teams up 2-0 in the NBA finals have gone on to win the title 86% of the time
Boston had a difficult night shooting the ball, and went 10-for-39 from deep. This gave Dallas a small margin to work with, because the Celtics did just about everything else at a very high level. They had 29 assists for the game, they went 19-for-20 from the free throw line, and they defended with poise. Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic had 32 points to go with 11 rebounds and 11 assists, but like we saw in Game 1, this wasn’t enough to keep Dallas afloat for a full 48 minutes. Credit Jrue Holiday, who led the way for the Celtics with 26 points, piloting Boston to a dominant win.
Let’s jump in and see what went down in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, a 105-98 Celtics victory.
First quarter
Kristaps Porzingis once again came off the bench for the Celtics, subbing into the game for Al Horford after a few minutes. In Game 1, this helped power Boston to a dominant opening period.
Here in Game 2, the same trick worked, and Boston went on a quick 8-2 run once Porzingis checked in. His unique blend of offense and defense was critical for the Celtics, and he logged 8 points in the first quarter alone. Porzingis ended the night with 12 points, but his rim protection was key.
This time around, Dallas countered, thanks in part to a much more physical approach overall. In Game 1, both teams combined for 5 fouls in the first quarter. In Game 2, that number was 13, punctuating how much more physical the action was Sunday night.
Second quarter
Cold shooting was a big issue for Boston. The Celtics shot 3-for-15 from deep in the first half, a major reason they weren’t able to pull away.
Everything else was clicking for the guys in green. They hit their free throws. They took care of the ball. The Celtics just couldn’t find a shooting touch. Jayson Tatum for example went 2-for-10 in the first two quarters, but had 3 rebounds and 8 assists, tying a career high for a half. He ended the night with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Dallas was the opposite. The Mavericks went 5-for-11 from the foul line with 8 turnovers in the first half. But thanks to 23 points from Doncic in the first half, Dallas kept things close. Boston led 54-51 after two.
Third Quarter
Jrue Holiday’s offense was crucial for keeping Boston afloat in an otherwise slow first half. His playmaking and shot creation was critical, as was his defensive intensity against Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Credit to the entire Celtics team for maintaining their composure even as they struggled to hit their shots into the second half. Instead, Boston continued to pound the paint. By meeting and exceeding Dallas’ early aggressiveness, the Celtics not only slowed the Mavericks down, but generated more looks on offense.
Doncic continued to manufacture buckets, but he slowed down considerably in the third. But as Boston continued to struggle from deep, the Celtics held only a slim lead with the final quarter on deck.
Fourth quarter
This was a game the Celtics won on the margins. They took care of business on the free throw line, they limited turnovers, and they weathered Dallas’ initial blitz of physicality. This was apparent in the fourth quarter. As the Mavericks began to fade, Boston held steady.
Boston also scored by committee. Five players scored 12 or more points, even if shots from deep weren’t falling. Dallas simply couldn’t keep pace with such an onslaught, even if Doncic had a monster night.
With two games in the books, Boston has twice looked like the more polished team to close games. Let’s see if they can maintain that level as the series shifts to Dallas.
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