Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Celtics go up 3-0 in the Finals with Game 3 win

The visiting Celtics took control and nearly gave away the match in the second half, snatching a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals minus their backline protector, Kristaps Porziņģis. Jaylen Brown dispensed 30 points and a career-high eight Playoff helpings plus outplayed Luka Dončić, who was also disqualified with six fouls in the last four minutes. Jayson Tatum sliced the interior. And the Mavericks failed to protect the three-point line again.

Jaylen Brown handled the on-court interview. He said, “We (the Celtics) kept our poise… we found a way to win.”

The Mavericks pounced on the Celtics, taking a 9-2 edge in the first two minutes behind Kyrie Irving and Dončić’s drive-bys, plus the latter’s pull-up triple in Tatum’s face.

Tatum responded for Gang Green with 13 points, including a fastbreak dunk to end the interval. Brown supplied four marks and set up three teammates with four dimes. And the guests struck gold with Sam Houser’s two trays, one coming as Dončić was late to tag him in transition because he was complaining to a ref.

Then both squads tightened their defense in the second quarter. Yet Irving made three of Dallas’ four second-quarter threes without missing and maneuvered into the paint for a floater. And Boston’s Tatum swished a top-of-the-key triple, dribbled past Tim Hardaway Jr. into the paint for a layup and scored on the break.

At halftime, the Celtics were behind 50-51 and down on the glass by six. Additionally, the squad had 16 paint points, 10 on the break, two via second chances, four off turnovers and nine from the bench (Hauser).

The Mavericks had 30 interior marks, seven in the open court, six on extra tries, five off turnovers and seven from the bench.

Subsequently, the Celtics started the third quarter by making seven consecutive baskets by Brown, Tatum, and Jrue Holiday. Next, Brown continued, burying a corner triple, nailing a step-back mid-range shot over Maxi Kleber and dunking powerfully off a pick-and-roll set to end the frame to lead by 15 points.

For the Mavericks, Dončić broke into the box, finishing thrice, and Irving made three shots at mid to long-range. The rest of the group converted two of seven ventures.

The fourth quarter began with the Celtics up 85-70.

Dončić then committed a turnover/offensive foul 13 seconds into the period by illegally dribbling into Brown at the post, pushing with the off arm. Yet the Celtics climbed to a 21-point lead a minute in. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd followed up with a timeout.

A 19-3 Maverick stampede ensued, sparked by the defense contesting shots on time and staying in front of the ball. Afterward, Irving’s three straight freebies cut Dallas’ deficit to three points. But Dončić made one of five baskets and had three more fouls, reaching six and disqualifying him with four minutes left.

The Celtics answered with Brown’s tip-in and mid-range jumper over Hardaway, Derrick White’s 3-pointer and Tatum’s dunk through the center.

The Celtics won 106-99 but were outrebounded by seven. On top of that, the squad had 36 paint points, 12 on the break, six via second chances, 13 off turnovers and 12 from the bench.

Brown had 30 points on 12 of 22 shots, with eight rebounds, eight career-high Playoff dimes, one block and three turnovers. Tatum had 31 points on 42.3% accuracy, with six rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two turnovers. And White logged 16 points, making four of 10 attempts, with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a turnover.

The Mavericks had 52 interior marks, 12 in the open court, 14 on extra tries, 12 off turnovers and 16 from the reserves.

Irving had 35 points on 13 of 28 tries, with three rebounds, two assists and two turnovers. Dončić produced 27 marks on 40.7% shooting, with six rebounds, six assists, one steal and three turnovers. The other double-digit scorers were P.J. Washington (13) and Dereck Lively II (11).

At the postgame presser, Mazzulla spoke on the approach for Game 4. He said. “We’re just as vulnerable, if not more vulnerable than they are.”

Tatum told the press that he told Brown he was proud of him after the game.