Mavericks Fall to Celtics in Game 2, Now Trail 2-0 in NBA Finals

The Dallas Mavericks' resilience in the playoffs faltered Sunday night at TD Garden, as the Boston Celtics took control in the third quarter and secured a 105-98 victory. This win gave the Celtics a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, marking the first time the Mavericks have lost consecutive games in these playoffs.

Key Points:

• Historical Context: Teams that win the first two games of the NBA Finals have an 86.1% chance of winning the series (31-5). Despite the daunting statistics, it's not over for the Mavericks, who will now play Games 3 and 4 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday and Friday.
• Series Dynamics: "A series doesn’t really start until the home team loses," goes the saying. So far, the Celtics have only held serve at home.

Coach Jason Kidd's Insights:
"They haven’t lost a game since May 9th. They’re hot. Not just on the road, but at home. So we got to protect home. And that’s it. We got to find a way. Our defense put us in position to win tonight. Unfortunately, our offense didn’t help us. Defensively, we can build on this. But we got to take care of the ball."

Game Details:

• Turnovers: The Mavericks committed 15 turnovers, with Luka Dončić responsible for eight of them. Dončić, despite dealing with a thoracic contusion, posted a triple-double.
• Defense: While the Mavericks played well defensively, their offense struggled, and their attention to detail was lacking.

The Mavericks have a chance to turn the series around as they head home. Protecting their home court will be crucial to their hopes of mounting a comeback in the Finals.