Mavericks star Luka Doncic had a triple-double in both games against the Celtics this season, but Boston won the series.
There is an old adage that past performance does not guarantee future results. The Dallas Mavericks hope that will be the case before the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. The two teams last met in January and again in March.
The results: The Celtics won the regular season series, 2-0.
While both games gave a glimpse of some patterns, it was just that: a glimpse.
Rosters have changed due to trades, injuries and coaching decisions. The rotations will spin differently. Not forgetting that what matters most is reaching the peak at the right time. Of the last 10 NBA champions, only four have won the regular season series against the opponent they faced in the Finals (total record: 4-2-4).
With this in mind, it’s still worth taking a look at just the Boston-Dallas matchups this season.
First match (January 22)
The score
Player Statistics
- Jayson Tatum: 39 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
- Jaylen Brown: 34 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
- Luka Doncic: 33 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals
- Kyrie Irving: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
The context: This game was the second of a back-to-back for Boston. Tatum was cold in Houston the night before, shooting 4 of 17. The Celtics still managed to win that game and followed it up with another victory with a much different Tatum.
He and Brown combined for 73 points against the Mavs. It was, to that point, the duo’s most impressive double of the season as they outclassed Doncic (who had a triple-double) and Irving.
That said, help was on the way to Dallas. Two weeks later, the Mavericks made a midseason trade that changed the scope of their season. PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford were acquired from the Hornets and Wizards, respectively, giving the Mavericks a pair of rim finishers and rebounders – their biggest weakness at the time.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics beat the Mavericks, 119-110, on January 22.
Second match (March 1)
The score
Player Statistics
- Tatum: 32 points, 8 rebounds
- Brown: 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
- Doncic: 37 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists
- Irving: 19 points, 4 rebounds
The context: The battle was assured when the Celtics outscored the Mavs 36-20 in a wild fourth quarter. For the second time this season, the Celtics won despite a triple-double from Doncic. And for the second time, the Tatum-Brown combo was too much for the Mavs to handle.
The duo totaled 57 points and had some help from Kristaps Porzingis, who added 24. The Celtics shot 55.3 percent from the floor, 48.8 percent from 3-point range and were essentially the picture of efficiency. Boston won for the 28th time in 31 home games.
The Mavs would lose three straight games before coach Jason Kidd made a key decision: putting Gafford in the starting lineup at center. The Mavs won 16 of their last 20 games to finish the regular season.
The Celtics won their 10th straight game by defeating the Mavericks, 138-110 on March 1.
