NBA Finals: The Celtics stave off the late Mavericks surge to take a 2-0 series lead behind a performance led by Jrue Holiday.

Luka Dončić had a huge game and the Dallas Mavericks improved from their first-game blowout with a better performance on the field.

It made no difference.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals saw the Boston Celtics overcome bad three-point shooting and bad play from Jayson Tatum to win 105-98. In one of his finest performances of the year, Jrue Holiday led the Boston offence. With Game 3 of the series scheduled to take place in Dallas, the Celtics officially lead the series 2-0. Teams who lead 2-0 in the Finals have a 31-5 (86.1%) record, according to ESPN.

Boston took an early lead in the first game, leading 58–29 at the half, and never letting Dallas get close to the lead again. Dončić gained the lead with 23 points in the first half of Sunday’s game, making Dallas appear to be the more dominant team. Kyrie Irving had ten points at the half after scoring twelve in the first game, and Boston had no answer for Dallas’ outstanding backcourt tandem.

Despite shooting just 3-of-15 from outside the arc, the Celtics were still able to take a 54-51 lead into halftime. Subsequently, they tightened their defence to start the third quarter and seize the initiative. Several turnovers by Dončić in Dallas led to numerous opportunities for points to be scored on the other team.

In a third quarter highlighted by a miraculous 3-pointer from backup point guard Payton Pritchard, the Celtics increased their lead to 83-74.
Boston’s defence took command and its three-point shooting returned to normal by the fourth quarter. In the final seconds of the fourth quarter, a 3-pointer by Derrick White increased the Celtics’ lead to 103-89.

The Celtics win thanks to a late block from Derrick White.

But Dallas was far from finished. With 1:15 left, the Mavericks embarked on a late 9-0 run to cut the Celtics’ lead to 103-98. Then, with one minute remaining, Dallas made a play that appeared to take the game to a single possession. Derrick White thought differently.

Dallas went on a fast break after Derrick Jones Jr. stopped Tatum from converting a layup at the rim. The Boston lead was subsequently reduced to three points when Irving found P.J. Washington with a bounce pass that seemed to be a layup. However, White, who was selected to the All-Defensive Team along with Holiday, tracked down the play and stopped Washington from behind.

The block virtually put an end to the Mavericks’ comeback attempt. After Boston’s goal on the other end, the Mavericks were unable to score again.

In Game 2, Holiday turns into a star.

Holiday assumed control of the offence while Tatum had trouble off the field. A prominent member of the Celtics offence, the former All-Star and champion with the Milwaukee Bucks can rely on any one of its starters and sixth man Kristaps Porziņģis to step up and take control on any given night. On Sunday, Holiday had what was possibly his finest offensive performance of the year.

Holiday scored 17 points at the half, illuminating the Celtics’ offence. In addition to his team-high 26 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block, he also concluded the game with one steal. He made 11 of 14 field goals and 2 of 4 three-pointers.

Jaylen Brown, who assisted in leading the Celtics to victory in Game 1, put up yet another impressive performance. He shot 8 of 15 from the field for 21 points, seven assists, and three steals. Tatum rebounded from his dismal shooting performance (6-of-22, 1-of-7 from 3) with a well-rounded performance that highlighted his ability to set up plays. In the end, he recorded a game-high 12 assists, 9 rebounds, and 18 points.

White was the only bright spot for Boston from long range, going 4 of 10 on the night. Boston went 10 of 39 from three that night. In the end, he finished with eighteen points, five rebounds, three thefts, two blocks, and the game-winning stop in the closing seconds.

Irving’s shooting problems sink Dončić TOs Mavericks

After his first half of 23 points, Dončić cooled off as Boston’s defence seized charge. He recorded a triple-double of 32 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds in the end. He went 12-of-21 from the field and 4-of-9 from three. He also recorded four steals. Nonetheless, his eight mistakes allowed Boston to seize the initiative.

Irving shot five of ten before halftime, but he struggled in the second half. He shot 7 of 18 from the field to end with 16 points and 6 assists. After going 0-for-5 in Game 1, he missed all three of his 3-point attempts and has not made a 3-pointer in the series.
And Dallas once more paid a heavy price for their free shots. While the Celtics made 19 of 20 foul shots, the Mavericks fouled out on 16 of 24 attempts.

Dallas will have the luxuries of home for Game 3 on Wednesday, which might ease Irving’s shooting difficulties. To win this series, though, the Mavericks will have to overcome a steep hill and the weight of NBA history against them.