NBA Finals: Celtics Pull Away from Mavericks for 2-0 Lead
Dominant Third Quarter Fuels Boston's Victory
Live Scores, Stats, and Analysis
The Boston Celtics extended their lead in the NBA Finals to 2-0 on Sunday night, pulling away from the Dallas Mavericks in a dominant second half. After a closely contested first two quarters, the Celtics turned it up a notch in the third, outscoring the Mavericks 35-14 to take control of the game.
Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 28 points, while Jaylen Brown added 23 and Marcus Smart chipped in with 21. Luka Doncic paced the Mavericks with 26 points, but the Celtics' defense held him in check throughout the night.
The Mavericks came out strong in the first quarter, taking an early 12-point lead. However, the Celtics fought back to tie the game at 33 at the end of the period. The second quarter was equally tight, with neither team able to gain a significant advantage. The Celtics led 60-57 at halftime.
The third quarter was all Boston. The Celtics scored the first 10 points of the half and never looked back. They held the Mavericks to just 14 points in the period and took a commanding 95-71 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks made a brief run in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics' lead was too much to overcome. Boston ultimately cruised to a 125-112 victory, putting themselves in a commanding position in the series.
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