Mavericks Will Face Serious Obstacle Against Celtics Due to Luka Doncic’s Uncertain Situation
When the Mavs take on Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, who own the best home record in the NBA, Luka Doncic might not be available.
Boston —The Dallas Mavericks will put the Boston Celtics’ remarkable nine-game winning streak to the test when they play this Friday night on nationally televised basketball.
The Mavs will conclude a four-game Eastern Conference road trip that started with victories over the Toronto Raptors and ended with defeats against the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite Luka Doncic’s outstanding 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists in their previous game on January 22, the Celtics prevailed 119–110 away. With 39 and 34 points, respectively, Tatum and Brown played a significant role in Boston’s victory.
After the game, Irving announced he had suffered a thumb injury in his postgame press conference, which forced him to miss six games.
In a 136-125 victory over the Raptors on Wednesday, Doncic celebrated his 25th birthday with a fantastic performance that included 30 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds. This was his 11th triple-double of the 2023–24 campaign.
Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring right now, averages 34.4 points, 9.7 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game on the season.
Regarding Doncic’s performance against the Raptors, Mavs coach Jason Kidd stated, Just a usual game—triple-double. He was excellent.
Doncic has been a vital member of the Mavs, scoring at least 25 points in nine straight games, including two games in which he scored more than 40 points. He just finished 11 games in February with an average of 33.4 points, 10.3 assists, and 9.6 rebounds.
Doncic’s availability to participate is uncertain since he is categorized as questionable because of a sprained left ankle.
If he is able to play, one of his main goals for the Mavs’ performance is to maintain the caliber of defensive play he showed in the second half to shut out the Raptors.
After trailing 67-66 at the half, he hopes to establish the necessary distance in the third quarter by outshooting the opposition by 40 to 25.
Doncic will be required to lead Dallas against a team that has an NBA-best 27-3 home record and a scoring difference of +10.5 points per game at TD Garden. This is assuming other players don’t make unexpected contributions.
Doncic remarked, Our squad is fantastic. We simply have to keep going the way we did; our defense was excellent.
In their most recent game, Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington both contributed significantly: Irving scored 29 points and Washington added 23.
Washington scored the most points in a game in his Mavs career with his performance. If Doncic is unable to play, Irving would take over as the team’s best option.
Washington stated, I was just trying to keep shooting open ones because shots were just falling. For me, it’s just settling into a groove and becoming at ease in every game.
Irving finished February with an average of 27.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, demonstrating his continued importance to the Mavs. The Mavs are 8-2 since his injury return on February 5.
After the February break, he averaged 15.8 points per game, second only to Anthony Edwards (17.2) and Jalen Brunson (16.2).
He was really good in the second half. With 15 of his 29 points coming in the fourth quarter, he helped shut out the Raptors and keep the game out of reach.
The Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 117-99 to extend their winning streak to nine games. With 31 points apiece and 29 from Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum set the tone. Tatum finished the fourth quarter with 15 points.
Teams will approach us in many ways, according to Brown. The 3-point line was taken away by Philadelphia. The following game or other teams may zone in an attempt to slow you down, or other teams may make complete substitutions.
You accept the challenge as a student of the game. You begin to consider the game as you get older. You begin to observe the ways in which various coaches choose to carry out their game plans.
Brown clarified, That’s a part of the trip. Knowing where the advantages are on the floor, how teams are guarding you, and letting the game decide where the ball goes despite your own feelings are all important skills. Where the advantages are, you let the game determine.
With an average of 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, Tatum is among the NBA’s leading contenders for MVP.
Brown, Tatum’s All-Star partner, has averaged 22.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, combining to form one of the best duos in the NBA. It will be difficult for the Mavs to try to contain them.
With their flexibility to play small or with two big men, the Celtics have shown that they are a versatile team that can adjust their game plan to match the defenses of their opponents.
Their ability to adjust was demonstrated in their triumph over the Sixers, as they made the most of their interior play to score 64 points in the paint and grab a 56-28 advantage in rebounds in spite of their difficulties from the 3-point line.
The Celtics’ coach, Joe Mazzulla, stated, We were able to win in a different way. We never stated that we had to prevail (making 3s).
As one of the finest teams, we always accept what the defense provides us. And finding and taking the greatest shot is essentially our offensive philosophy.
Tatum stressed that the Celtics must always keep their attention on the task at hand, no matter how tough the opponent seems to be or if their great player isn’t available.
Their success this season has been largely attributed to this mentality, which might come in handy against a Mavs squad that might play without Doncic.
Tatum remarked, I believe we’ve done a really excellent job of keeping present this year. Every day, we always discuss how to improve a little bit. We’re not ignoring anyone. Whether it’s a national TV game or their best player is out, we respect every opponent.
