A match in style was expected, but it was only confirmed: that the Mavericks are not there to be candidates or, at least for now, match last year’s conference finals. The one that the Celtics can with everyone and are flying towards their first ring since 2008, the second since the retirement of Larry Bird. Those are the conclusions that can be drawn from the Garden matchup, one that was resolved in a deceptive way (125-112 at the end) and that even timidly threatened to fall on the other side (114-105 in less than 4 minutes). for the end), but that it was a total and absolute walk for Joe Mazzulla’s team, which delved a little deeper into the Texans’ crisis (three losses in the last four games)grew up in front of an East that dominates with an iron fist (14-4, best record in the NBA) and was, in short, net and completely superior to a rival who has to do an exercise in assuming blame and urgent search for solutions.
Jayson Tatum, a doubt before the match due to some physical problems, was confirmed to jump to the Garden a few hours before the initial jump; with Jaylen Brown there was never any doubt. And, as two are more than one, both stars merged to finish off Luka Doncic: 68 points, 17 rebounds and 9 assists combined. It was 37+13+5 for Tatum, who went 11 of 24 from the field. 2 of 7 on triples and 13 of 15 on free throws; his fatigue partner reached 31+4+4, with 2 steals, 13 of 18, 2 of 3 and 3 of 4. They were the two great men of a team that had up to six players with double figures in scoring, and 13 goals and 9 passes to the basket by Marcus Smart who was also in charge of organizing a defense that isolated Doncic from the rest, exploited the rival’s weaknesses to enhance his own essence, that of pride, the trenches on one side of the track and talent on the other. From mud to revolution.
The Celtics were already winning by 21 at halftime (70-49), driven by Derrick White (his team’s 12 points were scored there), Tatum (23 at the time) and Brown (13). At that point, they had already distributed 18 assists (they finished with 29) and the Mavs only 5. The show lasted a few more minutes: at the end of the third quarter, with 4 minutes remaining, the locals went to 96-69, a difference of 27, the maximum of the game. An attempt at Texan rebellion, with Doncic getting his teammates more involved and Christian Wood showing a very positive version, kept the game alive with 12 minutes to play (101-85). 16 below. But, As often happens in these cases, what seemed like a miracle turned out to be a mirage.. That game could not be lost by the Celtics. In other words, that game could not be won by the Mavericks.
Jason Kidd’s team tried and even briefly lifted their bench, but it was unthinkable to achieve the impossible. They defended better than in the entire game, leaving the Celtics at 24 points; they reached 9 points. But the damage done in most of a disastrous night cannot be fixed in a while, as much as Kidd puts his notebook aside and introduces Christian Wood on the trackhighly sought after in the pick and roll and in internal passes to the zone in the last period, together with Luka Doncic, a variable to which he is being forced to yield. Because yes, Wood poses defensive problems that the coach doesn’t like and are even at odds with the scheme of a team in which everyone defends and the attack is organized around Doncic. But Wood’s presence relieves the Slovenian of the burden in tight ends, gives the team opportunities when his star is tired and an offensive booster that has been absent from the Mavs since the departure of Jalen Brunson. The power forward, who left without scoring in the first half, finished, only in the second, with 26 points. And, overall, 12 rebounds, 10 of 14 from the field…And 5 losses, yes. But the demonstration that yours will have to jump preconceived ideas and change things.
There will be the resilience of the Mavs and there the team in general and Kidd’s management in particular will be valued. Losing to the Celtics in the Garden (Doncic surrendered to Tatum after the game) is logical and the Mavs’ battle is against other teams, but it is obvious that the system, so dependent on Doncic and already without the oxygen valve that Brunson represented, does not work and that something more is needed to compete. The Slovenian, by the way, had another fantastic performance: 42 points (17 of 28 shooting), 8 rebounds and 9 assists. But 5 losses and a -5 with him on track. There is a lot left and the Mavs (9-8, tenth in the West with the Warriors already sighing on their necks) have room for improvement. But the template is what it is, it is not subject to too big changes and the need to start adding, together with their own obligation to convince themselves that they can do it according to what waythey are getting older. Doncic’s Mavs are on trial. And it is an important test.