NBA Finals: Game 3 Notebook

The Boston Celtics held off a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Dallas Mavericks to preserve a 106-99 win in last night’s Game 3. The win moves Boston to the brink of a title, and a less-than-spectacular night from Luka Doncic was the biggest reason why.

Dallas got the game they needed from Kyrie Irving. After being held in check the first two games, Kyrle went off for 35 points, scoring on a dazzling array of drives, pull-ups and three-pointers. He scored early and he scored late. But while Luka scored—27 points—his rebounding and assist numbers were low (for him) at six apiece. Moreover, he was an inefficient 11-for-27 from the floor.

Luka’s tough shooting night comes in spite of having started hot, scoring 13 in the first quarter. What became noticeable as the game went on is that he started missing more of his patented pull-ups and turnarounds in the lane. Shots he normally banks in with ease, started missing. I couldn’t help but think that the rib injuries he’s playing with are starting to take their toll. That 11-for-27 line is rough no matter what, but when you consider how many of them were missed jumpers in close, it looks even worse.

The Celtics survived the expected haymaker the Mavericks would throw on their home floor. After falling behind by 13, Boston was within one by the end of the first quarter. Jayson Tatum heated up in the second quarter, on his way to 31 points, and it was still a one-point game at halftime.

It’s apparent that head coach Joe Mazzulla made a conscious decision to get Jaylen Brown more involved in the second half. Brown had only scored six points in the first two quarters and was barely seen. He got the ball immediately to start the third quarter, scored, and was off and running. Brown scored 15 in a sizzling third quarter highlighted by a massive throw-down dunk in the halfcourt.

Brown’s scoring–he finished with 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting–opened up passing opportunities, as he drove the baseline and kicked the ball out to Tatum for open looks behind the arc. Boston began to take the game over, and by the early part of the fourth quarter they had a 91-70 lead.

The Mavericks made their last desperate surge and they got considerable help from the Celtics. Boston stopped attacking on offense. Celtic possessions turned into quick three-point shots not set up by dribble-penetration and just looked haphazard. Kyrie got hot again. The Mavs closed to within a single point. The arena was rocking and Boston was risking a dramatic collapse.

Luka fouled out with just over four minutes to go. He paid the price for earlier in the game when he committed three silly fouls far away from the basket. The clutch Celtic duo of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White came through again. White, who hit four treys on the night, hit a big one off a gorgeous assist from Holiday who drove the baseline and somehow threaded the needle on a pass back out top. White played some terrific defense on Kyrie on two key possessions down the stretch. And the Celtics survived.

If there’s an area the Mavs have to look back with regret on, it’s the lack of offensive rebounding. Even with Kristaps Porzingis again sidelined, Dallas really didn’t take advantage. While they won the overall rebounding battle 43-36, there were only seven offensive rebounds. Dereck Lively had a  nice game, with 13 boards and a couple big buckets in the fourth-quarter push. But Dallas isn’t getting enough from Daniel Gafford or P.J. Washington down low. Their three-pronged approach of Luka, Kyrie and offensive board crashing hasn’t clicked together yet in this series. And they are down to their last chance on Friday night.