The Boston Celtics are on the verge of history, sitting just one win away from their 18th NBA championship after a 106-99 win over Dallas this Wednesday. The victory was fueled by Jayson Tatum, who bounced back from a scoring slump with 31 points, and Jaylen Brown, who scored 30, largely thanks to a high-energy third quarter where he netted 15 points.
The Boston Celtics, inspired by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, held off a furious Dallas rally to beat the Mavericks 106-99 on Wednesday and take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals. American power forward Tatum came out of his scoring slump to score 31 points. Brown scored 15 of his 30 points in a blistering third quarter, and the Celtics hung on for a record-setting 18th NBA championship title with just one victory away.
Dallas nearly pulled off a miracle in the fourth quarter, erasing a 21-point deficit to bring the game within one point late in the match. Despite the effort, they couldn't seal the win. Boston now sits alongside the Los Angeles Lakers with 17 titles and will look to sweep the series this Friday in Dallas. For the Mavericks, the situation is dire, given that a 3-0 comeback has never happened in the NBA playoffs.
Facing elimination, the Mavericks fought hard to trim a 21-point lead down to just two points with 1:20 remaining, highlighted by a Kyrie Irving assist to Derrick Lively for a slam that made it 100-98. Unfortunately for Dallas, Luka Doncic was unable to help in the closing moments; he fouled out of the game with 4:12 left, picking up his final two fouls in a span of less than a minute.
Coach Jason Kidd tried to challenge the referees, but the calls stood, and Doncic exited the game following a blocking foul on Jrue Holiday while Dallas trailed by three. The Mavericks kept pushing, but they ran out of options. Jaylen Brown hit a crucial jumper to push the lead to four, and after Kyrie Irving missed a tough three-pointer, free throws from White and Tatum secured the win for Boston.
Reflecting on the game, Jaylen Brown expressed pride in the team's resilience, noting that while Dallas had the momentum, Boston stayed composed and hit the shots they needed to secure the victory. He emphasized that the team remains focused and won't let up until the job is done.
Kyrie Irving found his rhythm after struggling in the first two games, leading Dallas with 35 points. Luka Doncic posted 27 points, six rebounds, and six assists before fouling out—a rare occurrence in his career. Despite the odds, Doncic remained optimistic, stating that the series isn't over until a team reaches four wins and emphasizing the team's unity through the loss.