Mavericks Close 5-Game Road Trip with 'Much-Needed' Win Over Celtics
On a charged Thursday night at TD Garden, the Dallas Mavericks (27-25) secured a significant 127-120 victory over the Boston Celtics (36-16), echoing the intensity of last year’s NBA Finals. With Anthony Davis on the sidelines nursing an abdominal strain, the Mavericks showcased their depth and resilient spirit, which carried them through the game.
Klay Thompson was the standout performer for Dallas, scoring 25 points with a particularly explosive first half where he scored 23 points. His movement off the ball and sharpshooting helped set a vigorous pace for the Mavericks.
“It was great, much needed,” Thompson remarked postgame. “Winning here, especially against the defending champs, is something you can really build off. Everyone’s on a high right now because it’s fun to win in this building.”
The game unfolded with Dallas taking an early lead, buoyed by Thompson’s sharpshooting and effective plays off screens. Mavericks’ coach Jason Kidd praised Thompson’s efforts.
“He set the tone beautifully,” Kidd said. “He came out aggressive, running off screens, and his ability to catch and shoot was impressive. Even beyond catching and shooting, he took it off the dribble and was super aggressive.”
As the game progressed into the second quarter, Dallas extended their lead and was up 67-56 at the break. However, separation occurred after halftime with significant contributions from Spencer Dinwiddie, who came off the bench to pour in 22 points, and Daniel Gafford, who dominated the glass with 15 rebounds. Naji Marshall added 20 points off the bench, and Max Christie chipped in another 15. Danté Exum was pivotal with 15 points and five assists.
The Mavericks built a 27-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics, led by Jaylen Brown‘s 25 points and Payton Pritchard’s 21, didn’t relent and mounted a fierce comeback.
Discussing the adjustments after trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson acknowledged the shift that’ll be required from everyone collectively.
“With Luka out, we have to adjust our style a lot. We need to lean on each other more, and I’m excited for what’s ahead,” Thompson stated, hinting at the integration of Davis into the lineup, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. “He’s one of the greatest power forwards of all time, voted by our peers in the top 75. He’s going to add a whole new dimension to our team, offensively and defensively. The off-ball action he and I can create could be really special.”
The Celtics cut the deficit to single digits in the closing minutes, spurred by their bench’s spirited play. Kidd commented on the game’s pace,
“The tempo was really good,” Kidd said. “We tried to get the ball up quickly, with about 21 seconds on the clock, and our physicality in setting screens helped us maintain a good pace throughout the game.”
Kyrie Irving, facing his former team, scored 19 points for Dallas. Despite a struggling shooting performance in the first half, he made crucial second-half plays that quelled Boston’s comeback attempts, reflecting his determination to excel in a familiar setting fraught with recent challenges.
“It’s more of a motivation factor for me than anything now because they’re the best of the best,” Irving said. “They’re champions in our league until another champion’s crowned. You wanna play your absolute best against them, and they’ll do everything in their power to stop me. I’ve said it in the past, but I feel like they feel, and we both feel like they know my game well enough [to] send a lot of double teams at me.”
After wrapping up a five-game road trip, the Mavericks now face the Houston Rockets on Saturday—marking their first home game since trading Dončić. With a growing buzz about fan protests outside of the American Airlines Center, there will be an intense atmosphere during Davis’ Mavericks debut, with plenty in the crowd likely ready to voice their displeasure over trading Dončić.
“There might be a lot of heartbreak amongst the fans and probably some boos,” Thompson said. “But as a professional, you’ve got to embrace everything and remember we’re paid to play this game and perform at the highest level. I don’t know what to expect, but we just got to win and do it on a consistent basis to give ourselves a chance to win the whole thing. That, I think, will alleviate all the fans’ pain and anger.”
As Dallas prepares for their next matchup against the Houston Rockets, with the potential debut of Davis, the team looks to begin the chemistry-building process with a new star. Davis understands that this opportunity comes at an emotional time for Mavericks fans, but he’s eager to give them a new star to embrace.
“I understand it,” Davis said. “Obviously it’s a business, and I get who Luka was to this franchise, to the city. I’m never going to downplay that — just how I know what I meant to the city of L.A. So I’m not surprised by the fans’ reaction and the city’s reaction, but it’s my job to come in and play basketball and do what I’m supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why [GM] Nico [Harrison] brought me here.”
The matchup will also mark the return of P.J. Washington from a three-game absence after missing two due to personal reasons. However, Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture) and Dwight Powell (right hip strain) remain sidelined.
