Klay Thompson scored 25 points as the Dallas Mavericks secured a 127-120 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. Daniel Gafford grabbed 15 rebounds in what could be his final start at center before Anthony Davis makes his debut.
Dallas built a commanding 27-point lead in the second half while Davis, sidelined with an abdominal strain, watched from the bench. Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 22 points off the bench, giving the Mavericks (27-25) a needed boost.
Boston (36-16) made a late push after head coach Joe Mazzulla turned to his reserves. Payton Pritchard led the second-unit comeback, scoring 21 points, and the Celtics managed to cut the deficit to single digits in the final minute.
Jaylen Brown, who was named Finals MVP in Boston’s 2024 championship run, led the team with 25 points. Jayson Tatum added 17 points but struggled to make a significant impact.
Thompson dominated early, scoring 23 of his 25 points in the first half. His efficient 11-of-17 shooting performance helped the Mavericks take control before halftime.
Kyrie Irving, facing his former team, started slowly with just four points in the first half. However, he delivered key shots late, including back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter to push Dallas’ lead to 114-90.
Dallas shot 55.7% from the field and connected on 15 of 33 three-point attempts. The Mavericks’ bench played a crucial role, with Dinwiddie, Naji Marshall (20 points), and Max Christie (15 points) all making significant contributions.
Boston’s starters struggled defensively, and their comeback effort was fueled primarily by bench players. Kristaps Porziņģis scored 17 points, while Derrick White and Al Horford combined for just 16.
