Celtics Survive Wild Second Half to Take Commanding 3–0 Lead in NBA Finals

Boston emerged victorious after nearly blowing a 21-point lead, and is now one win away from hanging its 18th NBA championship banner.

Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots the ball against Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) during the second quarter during game three of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics are one win away from hanging their 18th banner inside TD Garden.

In a wild Game 3 filled with scoring runs, big games from the stars of both teams and a surprise fouling out of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, the Celtics prevailed 106–99 to take a commanding 3–0 series lead in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Entering the game in a 2–0 series deficit, Dallas came out desperate and had its collective foot on the gas early in the ball game. Behind a hot start from Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks took a double-digit lead, 22–9, with 5:48 to go in the first quarter.

But just as the Celtics have done all series long—and all season long—they met the Mavericks' initial run with one of their own. Despite struggling to score in the first two games of the series, Boston star Jayson Tatum came to play on Wednesday night, as all superstars do, in the absence of center Kristaps Porzingis. He led the charge as Boston punched back. The Celtics closed the quarter down 31–30, and entered halftime down 51–50 despite an offensive barrage of Doncic and Irving, who paced the Mavericks with first-half scoring.

But the second half is where the fun began.

The Celtics have been a poor third-quarter team all season long, but Jaylen Brown came out on fire after halftime, hitting jump shot after jump shot, overcoming a slow shooting start that saw him score just six first-half points. Brown scored 24 second half points, and put on a show in the third quarter in particular, where he concluded the frame with an emphatic slam.

JAYLEN BROWN. 🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/99ESlBsoJy

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 13, 2024

Boston's 35–19 third quarter spurt, to go along with a strong start to the fourth quarter, saw its lead balloon to as many as 21 points.

The Mavericks were on life support, but they weren't done yet. A 20–2 spurt that left the Celtics' players absolutely stunned cut the 21-point lead all the way down to three.

However, with 4:12 to go and the Celtics clinging to a 93–90 lead, Brown crossed half-court and drove to the basket with Doncic riding his hip. The Mavericks star, who already had five fouls, stepped in front of Brown for an obvious block. The play was challenged by Dallas and ultimately upheld, but Doncic's disqualification loomed large in the closing minutes of the contest.

Boston closed on a 13–6 run of its own with Doncic out of the lineup, and Irving's offensive heroics for Dallas simply weren't enough.

Tatum (31 points) and Brown (30 points), who have been much maligned by the media throughout the course of their careers, coexisted when it mattered most on the biggest stage and kept pace with Irving (35 points) and Doncic (27 points) to survive Game 3.

Game 4 is on Friday night, a 48-hour turnaround for the first time in the series. Boston will have a chance to raise its first championship banner since 2008, while Dallas will fight to keep its season alive.