Celtics-Mavs takeaways: C’s lengthen decide trail to NBA-most effective 10 video games

Celtics-Mavs takeaways: C’s lengthen decide trail to NBA-most effective 10 video games first and primary looked on NBC Sports Boston

Three Key Storylines

• The Jays lead the system offensively

• Holiday’s sizzling 3-level taking pictures continues

• Doncic’s triple-double not ample

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd stated forward of Friday evening’s game at TD Garden that the Boston Celtics were the supreme crew in the NBA.

They proved him steady.

The Celtics defeated the Mavericks 138-110 to lengthen their decide trail to 10 video games — the longest for any crew throughout the 2023-24 season. Boston’s closing loss turned into as soon as Feb. 1 to the Los Angeles Lakes. The Mavericks came into this matchup with eight wins of their closing 10 video games.

The Celtics led rather indispensable the total game, however the Mavericks made a urge in the third quarter and trimmed the deficit to 81-79 midway during the physique. The Celtics responded with a dominant stretch of their very hold, and by the guts of the fourth quarter, their lead turned into as soon as 20.

All five Boston starters scored in double-digits, led by Jayson Tatum (32 capabilities), Jaylen Brown (25 capabilities) and Kristaps Porzingis (24 capabilities). The Celtics furthermore were purple-sizzling from 3-level range, hitting 21 of their 43 makes an try.

The Celtics have the league’s most effective memoir at 47-12, giving them a eight-game lead over the second-affirm Cleveland Cavaliers.

The C’s will host Stephen Curry and the Golden Assert Warriors at the Garden on Sunday. But forward of we dwell up for that matchup, right here are three takeaways from Celtics-Mavs.

Jrue Holiday heating up from 3-level range

One amongst the supreme developments for the Celtics over the closing month has been Jrue Holiday hitting 3-level shots on a extra constant basis.

Holiday transformed 55.2 percent of his makes an try from beyond the arc in February (9 video games), and his sizzling taking pictures has carried into March. The feeble level guard shot 3-of-3 on 3-pointers in opposition to the Mavericks, including one the put aside he turned into as soon as falling out of bounds in the first quarter. It drew a super response from NBC Sports Boston coloration analyst Brian Scalabrine.

Holiday is now taking pictures 44.3 percent from 3-level range on the season, which may well perhaps be a profession high. He has hit 40 percent or extra of his 3-pointers in staunch one of his old 14 seasons — the 2021-22 campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Holiday’s 3-level resurgence provides one other dimension to Boston’s offense. There are no terrible 3-level shooters in the Celtics’ starting lineup, and the group as a entire is now taking pictures an spectacular 38.1 percent on these makes an try.

The Jays play one other efficient game offensively

Jayson Tatum had a gradual open Friday with staunch two capabilities in the first quarter. But he changed into it round snappy with 9 capabilities in the second quarter and 16 in the third quarter to support the Celtics raise their lead to 102-90 coming into the fourth.

Tatum finished with 32 capabilities on 10-of-19 taking pictures. He made five of his 9 3-level makes an try, whereas furthermore tallying eight rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.

Jaylen Brown has been awesome offensively since the All-Megastar ruin. He scored 25 capabilities on 11-of-20 taking pictures, along with seven rebounds, five assists and one decide in 31 minutes versus the Mavs. His five capabilities early in the fourth quarter helped the C’s push their lead to 18.

Brown is averaging 26.8 capabilities — 4.6 extra than his season moderate — on 60 percent taking pictures in the four video games after the All-Megastar ruin. He’s playing his most effective basketball of the season straight away.

Luka Doncic‘s dominant efficiency not ample

There is a motive why Doncic is amongst the favorites for league MVP. He impacts the game in so many varied suggestions.

His fats offensive expertise were on display in opposition to the Celtics. Doncic came out firing, hitting six of his first 10 shots and leading all players with 16 capabilities in the outlet quarter. He changed into extra of a playmaker in the second quarter with six assists in the physique.

Doncic finished with a triple-double of 37 capabilities, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 37 minutes.

It be the 40th 30-level triple-double of his profession, which ranks third all-time and he’s staunch 25 years feeble.