The Boston Celtics are one win away from capturing the 2024 NBA title, and they earned it.
Boston increased its fourth-quarter lead to 21 points before a frantic comeback by the Dallas Mavericks turned Wednesday's Game 3 into a roller coaster ride. However, the Celtics withstood every late attack by the Mavericks, who lost superstar guard Luka Doncic in the final minutes after fouling out on a controversial blocking call.
The Celtics also won despite center Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined with a leg injury. His status remains day-to-day, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there are “real questions” about Porzingis' status going forward.
How did Boston overcome its star's injury and contain the Mavs' latest comeback? Are these Finals headed for a sweep of the Celtics? Our NBA Insiders break down the wild ending to Game 3, Doncic's uneven performance and what awaits us in Game 4 on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
What was your biggest takeaway from the Celtics' Game 3 win?
Tim Bontemps: That Boston hasn't done it yet quite He's gotten rid of all his bad habits, but he still has enough talent to close out this series. The fourth quarter was a highlight of Boston's past struggles: poor offensive execution, lapses in concentration and generally difficult decision-making. But after allowing a 22-2 run that brought Dallas within one point, Boston was able to consolidate defensively down the stretch. It was enough to keep the Celtics one victory away from their 18th NBA championship, even if it became much more stressful than it should have been.
Chris Herring: The Celtics are inevitable. It didn't matter that Porzingis wasn't there, because Xavier Tillman could hold his own in his minutes. It didn't matter that Kyrie Irving finally found his offense, because so did Jayson Tatum. It didn't matter that the Mavericks took their biggest lead of the series early in Game 3, because Boston had an otherworldly Jaylen Brown showing in the third quarter, and escaped after doing enough to hold off a furious late Dallas run. — to put the Mavs on the brink of the abyss.
Brian Windhorst: The Celtics finally got over the hump and have one hand on sign 18. They had to survive their end-game demons, perhaps just to make it look like they had earned it. Boston has lost a handful of playoff games in exactly this way in recent years, and during that 20-2 run in the fourth quarter there was that old feeling of unease. But all of the Celtics' stars made a play or two and collectively that was enough, especially since they now have so many stars. And it's time to celebrate them, because they have earned it in true Celtic style.
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Luka fouls out in the first playoff game at the end of the fourth quarter
Luka Doncic is called for a blocking foul against Jaylen Brown and fouls out of the game at the end of the fourth quarter.
Fill in the blank: Luka Doncic's performance in Game 3 was ______.
Good time: Is not sufficient. Doncic scored plenty of points, but the Celtics once again put the brakes on Doncic and Irving's teammates, forcing the duo to try to beat the best offense in NBA history on their own. And for all his individual brilliance, that would never be enough for Dallas to win. And Doncic's defense, which was an ever-present problem through the first two games of this series, was even worse in Game 3. Boston has the ability to put more pressure on Doncic than virtually any other team in the league by having anyone of the two. Brown or Jrue Holiday attack him for 94 feet on defense, while any of Boston's perimeter players attack him on the other end. And as this series progressed, it seemed to take a toll on Doncic's energy levels, leading to some of the fouls that led to his exit from Game 3.
Herring: Incredible in some ways. Some of his baskets were beautiful. But the nature of some of the looks he created, for himself and his teammates, still weren't good enough for much of the game. (This isn't even talking about the times he couldn't get back on defense after a call didn't go his way; especially during the two plays at the end of the first quarter, which helped Boston score five quick points.) The third period. , in particular, was a huge contrast in style: the Mavs took 21 shots in the quarter, 15 of them off the dribble, while the Celtics took 20 attempts and only seven of them were off the dribble. Quality of looks has always made a difference in this series, as Doncic and Irving have to work hard to keep him around.
Wind horst: Completely unacceptable. Nobody can say anything to Doncic. Not teammates, not coaches, not executives, not media, not fans, not referees. There have been many pleas and promises that he will get better, but this one is going to make a mark. He is a truly brilliant, once in a generation player. But he will have to look in the mirror and face his weaknesses before being on the other side of a final. His defensive effort in these Finals has simply been overwhelming for his team, his complaints to the referees are painful, and his lack of frustration probably cost his team the opportunity to make this a series because he He was eliminated for fouls. He is one of the biggest stars in the league and that means he is held to a higher standard, especially at this level. He failed to deliver in this game and he's going to have to deal with it whether he likes it or not.
What will it take for the Celtics to complete the sweep?
Tim Bontemps: Not going back to their bad habits, which were on display in the fourth quarter of Game 3. For most of this entire series, Boston stuck with their process even when shots weren't falling and things weren't working perfectly, and it paid off. the sorrow. . Then came the final 10 minutes of Game 3, when the Celtics blew a 21-point lead. If Boston stays true to themselves, they should win Game 4. If they do what they did at the end of this one, Dallas can send this series back to Boston.
Chris Herring: Don't think too much about the situation. The way they play naturally, with ball movement and solid defense, both individually and as a unit, is more than enough to beat this Dallas club, even when the Celtics are not at full strength. As Tim said, they just have to stay away from the hero tendencies they sometimes display. A championship is within reach, and they simply need to continue playing team basketball, which has repeatedly proven to outlast the Mavs' system that relies on 1-on-1 looks.
Wind horst: The Celtics began this journey when they made the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013. They methodically added pieces, made shrewd trades, had setbacks, dealt with playoff deficits, revamped their roster and pulled off a severe coaching change. . , perfected their style and created a near-perfect team for 2024. Whether the sweep happens or not, Boston has assembled a brilliant roster that has managed to peak at the right time and should be celebrated when the series ends.
