The Celtics managed to secure a win at home, but it wasn't an easy game.

Luka Dončić seemed poised to deliver one of those legendary performances where an injured player scores 48 points and leads their team to a road victory.

The Mavericks fought back after nearly being knocked out in the fourth quarter.

However, the Celtics have a deep roster with many players who can make a difference.

Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown form a formidable trio.

Kristaps Porzingis, who appeared to pick up another injury late in the game, is a reliable player off the bench.

Additionally, any player can step up at any time, like Payton Pritchard, whose only contribution in this game was a quick three-pointer from the NBA Finals logo, regaining momentum for the Celtics after a Dallas run.

Dončić has Kyrie Irving, one of the best players of the past 15 years, by his side.

But it feels like Dončić has to carry the team himself against one of the most formidable teams in the NBA in a long time.

Jrue Holiday had an outstanding game, scoring 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting, including two three-pointers, along with 11 rebounds and several stellar defensive plays.

Despite being double-teamed, Holiday made the right plays and nearly achieved a triple-double with nine rebounds.

Dončić missed a wild three-pointer after a timeout, and Holiday grabbed his 10th rebound to go with his 26 points.

The Mavericks couldn't catch the Celtics as they played keep-away, eventually conceding the game.

Jones blocked a Tatum drive, and White made a huge block on Washington at the other end to keep it a two-possession game.

Both teams missed shots coming out of the timeout, but then Jrue Holiday hit a long-range shot in transition to get the Celtics to 100 points.

He then grabbed a rebound on a Tatum miss and dished it to White for another three-pointer.

Dončić, who hadn't found his range since his first-quarter explosion, missed again, and Tatum grabbed his eighth rebound, just two shy of a triple-double.

Dallas came back with Irving hitting a layup while Porzingis limped.

Brown missed, and Irving found Gafford for an alley-oop dunk.

Derrick White hit a long three-pointer with one second left on the shot clock, a crucial shot along with Pritchard's earlier three-pointer.

TV commentator JJ Redick noted that the Celtics had missed about 15 open three-pointers.

Tatum hit two free throws despite the home crowd's displeasure with Kyrie Irving.

Tatum traveled, Dončić missed, Tatum missed, Dončić turned it over, and Tatum handed off to Brown for a slam dunk.

Tatum had 11 assists, compensating for his poor outside shooting.

The Celtics' regained shooting touch did not extend to Sam Hauser, who was 0-for-4 and committed a shooting foul at the other end.

Washington hit both free throws.

Tatum missed a three-pointer badly, but Brown grabbed the rebound.

Hauser missed again, but at least it was closer.

In the last five seconds of the quarter, Holiday made a rare mistake by fouling Irving, who hit both free throws, bringing the Mavericks back into the game.

Payton Pritchard took the inbound pass, dribbled quickly up the court, and banked in a three-pointer from the Finals logo.

Dončić, not at full strength for this game, hit one of two free throws to pull within 10 points.

A good defensive sequence from Boston forced a rushed three-pointer, but Boston still couldn't hit from outside, with Porzingis missing this time.

The Celtics' defense came through again with a steal and a breakaway dunk for Holiday, who had 21 points.

Tatum got tied up inside, but Holiday ran through the lane and scored, giving the Celtics a 12-point lead.

Jones missed a wild three-pointer, and Lively couldn't keep the ball in play.

Brown slashed through the defense, faked, and put in a short bank shot.

Dončić was approaching triple-double territory with six rebounds and seven assists to go with his 25 points.

Each team missed shots, then Dončić picked up another assist, passing to Washington, who dribbled about 15 feet before shooting.

Tatum drove hard at the other end, got clobbered, and still put in a tough shot.

He missed the free throw, ending the Celtics' magical run at the line after 15 straight shots.

Tatum dished to White in the corner, who made the shot.

Tatum had more assists (9) than points (8), which could be seen as good or bad, depending on one's perspective.

Washington was called for a 'transition take foul,' a rule that punishes defensive teams for fouling to stop a breakaway.

Tatum hit the free throw.

Gafford scored inside, Boston turned it over, and Dončić fed Washington to put Dallas on top again.

Then an important hustle play for Boston: Tatum drove and dished out to White, who missed badly, but Holiday snagged the rebound and quickly handed off to Tatum, who scored and drew Irving's third foul.

The Celtics finally missed a free throw, but a lane violation was called, giving Brown another shot, and they were 13-for-13.

Dončić ended the half with a block on Tatum.

He was winning the scoring contest between the two megastars, but Boston was winning the game.

If you had heard before the game that Luka Dončić would have 20 points to Jayson Tatum's 2, and that Boston would be 2-of-14 from three-point range, would you think the Celtics would be tied right now? The one place Dončić couldn't score tonight was at the free-throw line.

He missed a technical shot after a defensive three-seconds call.

Holiday made a great layup, but Jones scored at the other end.

Tatum tried to corral a loose ball but ended up committing a shooting foul.

Then there was an offensive foul called on a rookie, Lively, for blocking like an NFL player.

Daniel Gafford missed two Dallas free throws after what seemed like a dubious call against Brown but looked correct on replay.

Irving drove and hit a tough runner, White missed another three-pointer for Boston, and Irving hit another close-range shot with five seconds left.

So the Celtics were only down one after the first quarter? No, they fouled Josh Green on a three-point attempt.

Green missed the first but made the next two.

Kyrie Irving tried to shove Jaylen Brown into Rhode Island, but Brown stuck to him and forced a turnover.

Dončić tried to get space against Jrue Holiday, banged into the Boston defender, and drew a foul.

Dončić, despite being banged up, hit a long three-pointer while bouncing on one foot and favoring the other.

Boston missed all seven three-point attempts.

Tatum, who had been driving and dishing to misfiring teammates, got a break and was replaced by Horford.

Dončić drew a foul on Tatum, who had an assist but was held scoreless.

The Dallas star then missed both free throws, with the second one looking especially ugly.

Boston's Sam Hauser missed a three-pointer from long range.

Dončić followed with a turnover.

The replay upheld the call of a foul on P.

J.

Washington, and Dallas lost a timeout.

The Celtics were wearing strips of black with the name 'WALTON' in honor of the recently deceased Bill Walton, one of the best and most colorful players the game has ever seen.

Irving fouled Tatum, and Duke fans weren't sure how to feel about that.

It looked like a shooting foul, but it was just possession to the Celtics.

Porzingis drew a foul and went to the line, making both free throws.

It was a one-point game.

The Celtics' defense came through again with a steal and a breakaway dunk for Holiday, who had 21 points.

Tatum got tied up inside, but Holiday ran through the lane and scored, giving the Celtics a 12-point lead.

Jones missed a wild three-pointer, and Lively couldn't keep the ball in play.

Brown slashed through the defense, faked, and put in a short bank shot.

Dončić was approaching triple-double territory with six rebounds and seven assists to go with his 25 points.

Each team missed shots, then Dončić picked up another assist, passing to Washington, who dribbled about 15 feet before shooting.

Tatum drove hard at the other end, got clobbered, and still put in a tough shot.

He missed the free throw, ending the Celtics' magical run at the line after 15 straight shots.

Tatum dished to White in the corner, who made the shot.

Tatum had more assists (9) than points (8), which could be seen as good or bad, depending on one's perspective.

Washington was called for a 'transition take foul,' a rule that punishes defensive teams for fouling to stop a breakaway.

Tatum hit the free throw.

Gafford scored inside, Boston turned it over, and Dončić fed Washington to put Dallas on top again.

Then an important hustle play for Boston: Tatum drove and dished out to White, who missed badly, but Holiday snagged the rebound and quickly handed off to Tatum, who scored and drew Irving's third foul.

The Celtics finally missed a free throw, but a lane violation was called, giving Brown another shot, and they were 13-for-13.

Dončić ended the half with a block on Tatum.

He was winning the scoring contest between the two megastars, but Boston was winning the game.

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