Mavericks' Late Rally Falls Short in NBA Finals Game 3
Boston's 2-0 Lead Remains
The Dallas Mavericks' valiant 22-2 run in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals ultimately proved insufficient to overcome the Boston Celtics' 2-0 advantage in the series. Despite their best efforts, the Mavericks fell 110-107, leaving the Celtics just one win away from clinching their 18th championship.
Porziņģis and Celtics Dominate Early
In the opening quarter, Kristaps Porziņģis and the Celtics set the tone, taking a commanding 30-20 lead. Porziņģis was a force in the paint, scoring 12 points in the first 12 minutes while his teammates nailed five three-pointers. The Mavericks struggled to keep pace, with Luka Dončić held to just six points on 2-of-9 shooting.
The Celtics maintained their dominance in the second quarter, extending their lead to 60-46 at halftime. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 25 points, while the Mavericks' offense continued to sputter. Dončić managed just two more points in the second, finishing the half with an uncharacteristic 8 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
Mavericks' Late Surge Falls Short
The Mavericks showed signs of life in the third quarter, cutting the Celtics' lead to 80-73 heading into the fourth. Dončić finally found his rhythm, scoring 15 points in the third, but the Celtics still held a comfortable advantage.
In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks unleashed a furious rally, outscoring the Celtics 22-2 and tying the game at 98-98 with three minutes remaining. However, the Celtics responded with a clutch jumper from Tatum and two free throws from Brown to seal the victory.
Dončić finished with a team-high 30 points but was inefficient, shooting 10-of-26 from the field. Porziņģis was equally impressive for the Celtics with 28 points and 13 rebounds. The Mavericks now face an uphill battle, trailing 0-3 in the series and needing to win four consecutive games to claim the championship.
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