DALLAS — The Celtics again refused to go on a losing streak as they beat the Mavericks in a 122-107 win Saturday at American Airlines Center. The C’s sprinted away to improve to 32-14 on the season in an NBA Finals rematch. The shorthanded Mavs dropped to 24-22.
The Celtics were lethargic to start as the Mavs got to the rim to build a double-digit lead. But the C’s threatened to blow the game open in the second quarter as they were at their best in the frame. They made 7-of-15 of their 3s to open up a 15-point lead while the Mavericks sputtered offensively.
But the Mavs weren’t about to go down without a fight. They cut it down to a four-point game early in the third quarter, only for them to hit the wall that was Derrick White. The guard had his fingerprints all over the game, pouring in 16 points in the third quarter. That allowed the C’s to build up a 25-point lead. The Mavs attempted a comeback, but they didn’t have enough offensive firepower to threaten the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum had 24 points to lead the way for the Celtics. White had 23 points while Jaylen Brown added 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Kyrie Irving had 22 points for the Mavericks; Daniel Gafford had 19 points and 15 rebounds.
The Celtics return home from their four-game road trip, going 3-1. They next host the ex-C’s coach Ime Udoka and the Rockets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at TD Garden. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Dallas:
Midgame bounceback: White’s shooting slump continued early Saturday as he missed his first six shots, including an 0-for-4 mark on 3s. But the guard shrugged off those struggles as he converted on his next four field goals, including three 3-pointers. It’s been a slog recently for White, but his third quarter was huge to put the C’s ahead. For good measure, he also drew an offensive foul during his hot stretch. The Celtics are at their best when White is on — that was the case Saturday when they needed the production.
Filling it up: The Celtics were just 2-for-10 from 3 after the first quarter as they were neither converting their looks nor putting many attempts up. But that changed for the rest of the game. The C’s finished 20-for-52 (38.5%) from deep as their natural advantage was back in the win. In contrast, the Mavs finished 8-for-22 (36.4%) from deep. The Mavs made some 3s late to keep them within striking distance, but it wasn’t enough to beat the sheer math advantage the Celtics had Saturday. Life’s a lot easier when 3s are going down as the C’s shot their way to the win.
Never a streak: For all the Celtics’ issues and malaise over the past couple months, they rarely ever go on a losing streak. They’ve only dropped back-to-back games once this season, always responding well to a loss. That was again the norm Saturday. Even though they were blown out by the Lakers last time out, the C’s weren’t about to lose again. It’s what has allowed them to stay in second place in the East amid some midseason imperfections.
Finally in Dallas: It’s taken a few seasons, but Porzingis finally played a game at American Airlines Center for the first time since he was traded. He’s been unavailable to play due to injuries or other issues. Porzingis sat both Games 3 and 4 of the Finals last season due to the rare foot injury he suffered that required offseason surgery. At this point, there wasn’t much of a plot line as it’s been three seasons since the trade, but it was still noteworthy. Porzingis finished with 18 points and five assists, though he was limited because he was in foul trouble.
