Defence wins championships, and though it’s only been two games, the Boston Celtics‘ defence has certainly looked title-bound.
The Celtics moved up to 2-0 in the NBA Finals after dismantling the Dallas Mavericks with a second-straight defensive masterclass in a 105-98 win spearheaded by 26 points from Jrue Holiday.
Holiday, more known for his gritty work on the defensive end, was the scoring engine for Boston, scoring his team-leading tally on an efficient 11-for-14 from the field.
Jayson Tatum, though once again not getting the ball in the basket at his usual rates, led the team in assists and found other ways to contribute for Boston. Jaylen Brown meanwhile was ferocious on defence, holding Kyrie Irving to another quiet night.
Leading the way for the Mavericks once again was Luka Doncic, as the Slovenian superstar carried his team in scoring and managed to expand his playmaking after finishing with only one assist in Game 1.
Dallas kept it much closer than the opening game of the series and went into the half only down three. But some strong defence in the second half allowed Boston to stay on top, extending the lead to 13 in the third quarter and holding steady to secure the win.
The series now heads to Dallas as the Mavericks face a big hole as they hope to secure their first title since 2011.
Only five teams have recovered from a 2-0 series deficit in the NBA Finals, with the Milwaukee Bucks being the last to do so in 2021 against the Phoenix Suns.
