The Dallas Mavericks (21-42) lost to the Boston Celtics (42-21) on Friday, 120-100. Jaylen Brown led a balanced effort from Boston, scoring 24 while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing seven assists. Klay Thompson was the high point man for Dallas, scoring 19 off the bench.
Before the game, the ESPN broadcast had a great deal of understandable Jayson Tatum-adjacent pageantry as he’s coming back just 10 months after tearing his Achilles tendon. The first portion of the game was filled with offensive offense; nary a soul could hit a shot. Dallas fans dealt with a scare as Cooper Flagg grabbed his ankle following a shot attempt in the paint, but he gutted out the free throws and stayed in the game. Both teams found some scoring in the latter half of the period, and the game finally felt a bit more like basketball. Dallas led after one, 22-21.
Dallas kept the pressure on Boston in the second, with rather relentless rim pressure. Naji Marshall in particular kept the Mavericks ahead, scoring in crafty ways around the basket. The Celtics couldn’t take or hold a lead versus Dallas very long, but made threes and kept it close. Tatum finally got on the board late in the half to give the Celtics the lead on a putback dunk. He followed that up with a big three which nearly brought the house down. Dallas seemed to come apart down the stretch after leading nearly the entire half. Dallas entered the half down 58-53.
During the third, I ate my dinner while Dallas slowly got out-mathed by Boston. Three is worth more than two and while Dallas made numerous valiant efforts to keep pace, by the end of the quarter, it felt hopeless for the Mavericks, given the talent disparity between the two teams. Dallas went into the fourth quarter down 90-80.
The game got out of hand in the fourth. The Mavericks offense died as Boston seemed content to let Dalals drive and defend the rim with multiple guys swarming. Defensively, the Celtics spread Dallas too thin. They were unable to cover the Celtics from deep and protect the rim and the Boston lead grew throughout the frame. Dallas fell to Boston, 120-100.
Cooper didn’t look right
When Flagg went down, grabbing his ankle, I assumed his night was over. It’s the same foot he missed a month of game action due to a sprain in the midfoot area. But when he toughed it out, I wasn’t surprised; he’s 19 after all. Remember when Dereck Lively sprained his neck in the Western Conference Finals? I assumed he’d be out the series, instead he missed the game. That’s a part of being a super human athlete at 19 I guess.
All the same, Flagg did not look like Flagg all game. He was slow to move and his anticipation and quickness is his game, partocualrly on the defensive side of the floor. I have to imagine the decision was made because Flagg couldn’t hurt the ankle worse and because it was an important game for him with family coming to see him live. And yet I didn’t feel good watching him play this one. Hopefully he heals up and we get more off the Flagg we’ve come to know and love.
PJ Washington is a mess
2026 has not been Washington’s year on the basketball court. He’s not been able to string more than a game together without looking like he’s new to basketball. It’s disappointing too — he’s important to what Dallas wants to do. He’s another guy where I wonder if he’ll be with the team after this season, but I hope so. We’ve seen what he can be, and right now we’re looking at a shell of a player.
Jayson Tatum looks great
He had to shake off the nerves and rust, but Tatum looked like the exact same player who helped lead the Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship. He’s a really unique player and while I will never love him (for the aforementioend 2024 ring), I appreciate what he brings to the NBA and the kind of work it takes to come back from this kind of injury. I look forward to seeing how he finishes the season and in the playoffs.
