The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 122-107 on Saturday night, extending their season record to 32-14. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 24 points, while Derrick White contributed 23, scoring 16 in a decisive third quarter that saw the Celtics pull away.
Boston bounced back from their season-worst 21-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Jaylen Brown added 22 points for the defending champions, who turned an early 16-6 deficit into a 25-point lead in the third period.
The Celtics’ proficiency from beyond the arc continued as they connected on 20 of 52 three-point attempts, despite starting just 2 of 8 in the opening quarter. Kristaps Porzingis, making his first return to Dallas since being traded in 2022, tallied 18 points and grabbed four rebounds.
On the other side, the Mavericks, now 24-22, struggled without Luka Doncic, who remains sidelined with a calf strain. Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 22 points, and Quentin Grimes provided a spark off the bench with 20 points. Daniel Gafford recorded a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds but couldn’t prevent Boston from controlling the second half.
The Celtics outscored the Mavericks 37-27 in the third quarter, fueled by White’s 11 consecutive points to open the period. Boston’s bench also stepped up, with Payton Pritchard adding nine rebounds and Luke Kornet contributing 10 boards.
Dallas faced further setbacks with backup center Maxi Kleber fracturing his right foot late in the third quarter. The Mavericks’ limited depth in the frontcourt compounded their struggles, especially against Boston’s physicality on the glass.