The Boston Celtics were on the verge of blowing a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter, but triumphed this Wednesday 106-99 at the Dallas Mavericks’ field to take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finalswhich leaves them just one win away from the eighteenth ring in their history.
The Celtics began the countdown to a title they have been waiting for since 2008 and that would break the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers to once again be the most winning franchise in the NBA. They will have their first ‘match ball’ this Friday, again at the American Airlines Center.
The loss of Latvian Kristaps Porzingis did not stop Joe Mazzulla’s almighty machine. Jayson Tatum, with 31 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Jaylen Brown, with 30, They led the Celtics’ victory against the Mavericks in which the Slovenian Luka Doncic scored 27but ended up being ejected for committing six fouls with 4:12 minutes left in the fourth period.
Tatum’s level increased, overshadowed in the first two games first by Porzingis and then by Jrue Holiday, but it was Jaylen Brown who took responsibility in a heart-stopping fourth periodwhen the Mavs sealed a 22-2 to revive after a 70-91.
Brown, MVP of the Western finals, finished the game with 24 of his 30 points in the second halfto which he added eight rebounds and eight assists.
Holiday was no older than nine and Derrick White scored 16, with four heavyweight triples. Dominican Al Horford, with eight points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, sees the long-awaited ring approaching.
The Mavs fell with great honor, but 0-3 leaves them practically sentenced. This is what history says: zero comebacks in 154 previous matches. Doncic finished his game with 27 points, six rebounds and six assists and Kyrie Irving had 35 points, three rebounds and two assists for the Mavs.
The American Airlines Center vibrates
The American Airlines Center waited thirteen years to host the NBA Finals again and the public response was overwhelming. It was played in a vibrant environment, very hostile for the Celtics, and the Mavs took advantage of it to bite. The Texans defied logic in the fourth quarter, but could not complete a feat for the ages.
They marked territory with a fierce start and with Irving determined to enter this series. Kyrie made a tackle and Doncic hit a triple to set the pace of the match. In less than two minutes the Mavs escaped 9-2 and Mazzulla did not hesitate to stop the game with the timeout.
Irving, who came into this match after 0 of 8 in triples, stepped on the accelerator and the Mavs took an early 25-12 lead. They put the game in the direction they wanted, but Boston did not tremble. He knows how to understand moments and despite a start with few offensive solutions, he responded with a resounding 11-0 that put him back in the game.
Without a colossus like Porzingis cleaning up the paint, Doncic and Irving moved with ease. They came in looking for easy points and did not hesitate to shoot from the goal. Kyrie sealed four of five in the first half and already had twenty points at halftime, with Doncic already adding 17.
Nevertheless, The Celtics managed to return to the locker room down a single point, at 50-51. Considering the scoring pace of Doncic and Irving, and the fact that Tatum (20 points) did not find offensive support in Brown (6) or Holiday (4), for Mazzulla there were reasons to smile in the locker room.
And in the third period the Celtics reaped the dividends. With a monstrous and irrepressible Brown, which He led with fifteen points a 35-19 lead that left the Mavs shaken. Boston shot 65% (field goals) and made five three-pointers. The Mavs only took two shots from the arc, with a 50% success rate.
Huge Brown Mate…
Holiday and Tatum sealed two consecutive triples to give the first blow to the game and a dunk by ‘JT’ after a defensive block by White completed a 13-2 run which gave the Celtics a double-digit lead at 71-61.
The Celtics defense closed down and forced the Mavs to take very difficult shots, with poor results. And even when PJ Washington managed to hit a three-pointer for hope, Boston’s response was a double punch. White’s triple with a lot of help from the board and Brown’s stratospheric dunk that left the coliseum silent. It was 85-70 going into the fourth period.
Two consecutive three-pointers, by Brown and White, in 54 seconds of the fourth quarter increased the lead to 91-70. When Jason Kidd stopped the game, the American Airlines Center had lost faith. And the Celtics thought they had won it.
…and final thriller
That’s when the Boston blackout hit. The Mavs, now without pressure, achieved a 10-0 lead in 2.43 minutes and put their fans back in the game. The Celtics completely bogged down and the Texans reopened a contest that seemed closed with a devastating 20-2 that left them within three points, after three free attempts by Irving.
However, in a triumphant walk by the Celtics turned into a thriller, a new surprise was missing. With 4.12 minutes left, Doncic committed his sixth foul by knocking down Brown when he tried to enter the painting. Kidd requested the review, without success. The Mavs were left without their leader with a ‘mini-overtime’ ahead.
Irving reduced the margin to one point, but ended up suffocated by Holiday’s physical defense. A triple by White made it 98-92 and gave some air to the Celtics who reached the finish line and, with final shock, begin to see the glory.
