Inside The Celtics

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown Combine for 57 Points as Celtics Cruise Past Mavericks

The Celtics, an NBA-leading 47-12, earned a 28-point win over the Mavericks for their tenth straight victory.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Friday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics extended their win streak to double digits and became the first NBA team this season to earn ten consecutive victories. 

They outscored the Dallas Mavericks 72-51 in the second half of what turned into a 28-point thrashing.

In a battle between MVP candidates, Luka Doncic produced 16 points in the first quarter and finished with a game-high 37. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assists, registering his second triple-double in as many matchups against Boston this season. Only two other players, Tyrese Haliburton and Alperen Sengun, have done so vs. the Celtics in the 2023-24 campaign.

After a slow start for Jayson Tatum, who went 0/3 in the first 12 minutes, the five-time All-Star finished with a team-best 32 points. Also, he repeatedly carved up Dallas' defense when the visitors sent a second defender at him, willingly moving the ball to allow the hosts to capitalize on their numbers advantage.

The two-time All-NBA First Team selection also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and directly assisted on three of Boston's buckets.

The other half of the Celtics' star wing tandem, Jaylen Brown, who often wound up scoring after the Mavericks forced the ball out of Tatum's hands, ended the evening with 25 points, including 18 in the paint. He also snagged seven boards and dished out five assists.

Kristaps Porzingis contributed 24 points against his former team, knocking down 8/14 shots, including 4/8 threes.

The hosts also got a sizable contribution from their second unit, which outscored Dallas 33-20. While Al Horford (12 points) and Payton Pritchard (ten) led the way for Boston's bench, Xavier Tillman also impressed in his first extended opportunity since coming over at the trade deadline. 

The versatile 25-year-old chipped in six points, two assists, and a block. He showcased his impact as a screener and facilitator, most notably finding Horford on a lob after rolling to the rim. He also did well running Doncic and Kyrie Irving off the three-point line, helping the C's hold their guests to 9/34 (26.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

Speaking of Irving, who the TD Garden faithful relentlessly booed, he finished with 19 points on 9/23 (39.1 percent) shooting.

Now for a deep dive into what stood out as the Celtics improved their NBA-leading record to 47-12.

The Boston Celtics threw a lot at Luka Doncic in the first frame of Friday's tilt. They cycled through primary defenders, giving Jaylen Brown, who did an outstanding job against him in their previous matchup, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. 

They also tested out multiple pick-and-roll coverages, bringing the player guarding the screener up to the level of the pick and having that individual stay back in a drop.

Dallas' star guard often got the better of whatever Boston tried, putting 16 points on the board on 6/10 shooting in the opening 12 minutes.

Kyrie Irving, who got booed when he came out of the tunnel, got announced during the starting lineups, and every time he touched the ball, went 3/8 and scored six points in the first quarter. A lot of those misses were on quality looks, though.

That reflected how the visitors fared from beyond the arc in the opening period, going 4/14 (28.6 percent) despite creating a lot of good opportunities.

Dallas' struggles from three-point range helped the hosts operate up-tempo, manufacture 12 points in the paint, and build a 12-point cushion. There was also this impressive fading three from the corner from Holiday on an opportunity in transition.

But despite 13 points from Kristaps Porzingis, the most in the frame, and Boston scoring ten on the fast break, a poor close, including multiple turnovers, kept the Mavericks within six, 38-32, entering the second quarter.

After going 0/3 in the opening period, of which he played 10:03, Jayson Tatum started the second 4/4 before entering halftime with nine points on 4/6 shooting in the 12 minutes before the break.

After he punished Dallas as a scorer, the visitors started blitzing him off of screens. The five-time All-Star responded the same way he's dealt with that all season, willingly moving the ball so his team could capitalize on the numbers advantage that creates.

He also delivered this dime off an excellent read as he drove downhill.

That helped the Celtics, who shot 52.2 percent in the second quarter, claim a 66-59 edge into intermission.

While Doncic paced all participants with 23 points after the first 24 minutes, Irving scored 10 points, but he was the only other Maverick in double figures.

Conversely, the hosts' balanced approach resulted in four players reaching double digits. 

Porzingis had 16, drilling 5/8 shots, including 4/6 threes, letting it fly without hesitation. Jaylen Brown, often the one scoring at the rim after Dallas sent a second defender at Tatum, contributed 13. He also dished out four assists. Tatum and Holiday each had 11.

After shooting 10/22 (45.5 percent) from behind the arc in the first half, the Celtics stayed hot from three-point range, burying 6/12 attempts in the third frame.

They shot 56.5 percent from the field, generated 14 points in the paint, got 16 points from Tatum, and five assists from Holiday, including when operating as the screener, then getting the ball on the roll and facilitating.

And while Boston gave up four offensive rebounds and as many second-chance points, the hosts played their best first-shot defense of the opening 36 minutes. They limited their guests to 41.7 percent shooting, including 4/11 (36.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

Their two-way performance allowed them to take a 102-90 advantage into the final 12 minutes.

The Celtics built off that in the final frame, breaking the game open and extending their lead to as much as 28.

That included Xavier Tillman Sr. demonstrating his ability to make an impact as a screener and facilitator, catching the ball on the roll and lobbing it to Al Horford after the defender down low stepped up to keep him from the basket. The result was an uncontested layup for the C's elder statesman. 

That included Xavier Tillman Sr. demonstrating his ability to make an impact as a screener and facilitator, catching the ball on the roll and lobbing it to Al Horford after the defender down low stepped up to keep him from the basket. The result was an uncontested layup for the C's elder statesman. 

And when Tatum swatted Irving's attempt at the basket, then found Horford for an open three from the left wing, it provided an added exclamation mark on a convincing 138-110 win Friday night at TD Garden.

The Celtics are now on to a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals when they host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday evening. That game will tip off at 3:30 EST.

Further Reading

Tired of Celtics' Playoff Inconsistency, Wyc Grousbeck Decided 'We're Not Running It Back'

76ers Gift Celtics Welcome Playoff Prep: 'Taken Tremendous Steps'

Jaylen Brown's Evolution Crucial to Celtics' Desire to Win with More Than Talent

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'

Kristaps Porzingis Shares How First Season with Celtics Compares to His Expectations: 'Haven't Stopped Smiling'

Brad Stevens Discusses Celtics' Plan for Final Roster Spot

Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans

Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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