The Boston Celtics have secured a commanding 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 in Game 2 on Sunday night.
Led by guard Jrue Holiday’s impressive performance of 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting, the Celtics overcame a strong start by Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who scored 15 points in the first quarter to give Dallas a 28-25 lead.
Despite struggling offensively early on, the Celtics found their rhythm in the second quarter, taking a slim 54-51 lead at halftime. The third quarter saw Jayson Tatum take over, scoring six points in the first half of the quarter and sparking a 10-0 run that gave Boston its largest lead of the game.
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Payton Pritchard’s buzzer-beater three-pointer at the end of the third quarter extended the Celtics’ lead to 84-73 heading into the final period. Although Boston struggled from beyond the arc, Derrick White’s timely three-pointer pushed the lead to 103-89 with just over three minutes remaining.
The Mavericks made a late push, led by Doncic’s triple-double performance of 32 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. Dallas went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to five with just over a minute left, but Jaylen Brown’s driving layup sealed the game for the Celtics.
Jrue Holiday expressed satisfaction with the series lead but emphasized that the series is far from over, stating, “Whatever it takes, as long as it takes.”
Celtics take a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals!
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Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas at 8:30 p.m. ET, where the Mavericks will look to bounce back and even the series.
