The Dallas Mavericks handed the Boston Celtics their 6th loss in 10 games by virtue of an all-around team effort, headed by star rookie Luka Doncic. The Celtics drop back down to .500 with the loss, as the team sits at 10-10 through 20 games of play.
The Mavericks showed the world why they are the best home team in the NBA thus far, using the momentum from their home crowd to get ahead early. Dallas connected on their first 7 three-point attempts to build a double-digit lead on the Celtics in the 1st quarter, and once again Boston was forced to play from behind.
Luka Doncic was showcasing his skills early, using some crafty footwork to fake out Kyrie Irving for a shot clock beating three-pointer that put the Mavs up 11.
I mean how can you not love Luka my word pic.twitter.com/2d6bygNe79
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) November 25, 2018
Boston fought back in the 2nd quarter behind Kyrie Irving’s 9 points on 4-5 shooting to cut the double-digit deficit to just three at halftime (59-56).
Then things started to get chippy. Jaylen Brown leveled Luka Doncic with a forearm to the chest after Doncic was caught with his head turned away from the play. The two had to be separated, and Brown was ultimately given a technical foul.
The Celtics did all they could to keep the contest close, utilizing a strong 3rd period from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. A thunderous dunk from Tatum gave the Celtics their first lead of the game (74-73) halfway through the 3rd period.
Dallas would answer with a strong finish to end the period, taking a five-point lead into the 4th. A lead they would not relinquish. Their advantage ballooned to 13 after a J.J. Barea three-pointer with just under 6 minutes remaining. The Mavs would seal the deal with another long ball from Wesley Mathews just a minute later.
The Celtics continue to struggle to find a rhythm as the season progresses. On most nights it is their defense that shines, with the offense a significant step behind. Tonight the team finally got some shots to find the bottom of the net, but failed to hold their own on the defensive side of the ball.
The team leaves Dallas tonight with more questions than answers. What is going wrong? Why is this team sitting in 7th place in the Eastern Conference with a .500 record through 20 games played? What can the group do to start playing consistent basketball for a full 48 minutes?
If the Celtics aren’t careful, they could be looking down the barrel of a losing record Monday night when they take on Anthony Davis and the Pelicans.
Game Notes
Jayson Tatum had himself an efficient night, knocking down 9 of 14 shots for 21 points to go along with 4 rebounds. He was also one of just three Celtics to finish the night with a positive plus/minus (+3).
Marcus Smart returned to his home state of Texas and gave away over 50 tickets to tonight’s contest to his closest friends and family members. He contributed 19 points on 5-8 shooting (3-4 from deep).
After a severely underwhelming start to the season, Jaylen Brown finally got something going tonight with a 16 point performance on 77% shooting. Despite the loss, this could be the type of performance that can wake Brown up and get him back on the right track.
Dallas got a huge performance out of J.J. Barea off of the bench. He erupted for 20 points and added 8 assists in 26 minutes of play.
Luka Doncic finished the contest with 15 points and 8 assists. He continues to look like a mature veteran in his first year, despite the fact that he is only 19 years old. The future is bright for the budding star, and he showcased why tonight.
Gordon Hayward (left ankle soreness) sat out tonight’s contest, likely due to the match being on the 2nd night of a back to back. Hayward is expected to return to the lineup Monday night when his Celtics take on the New Orleans Pelicans.