The Boston Celtics were the best team in the NBA main round. In the playoffs, the team has only allowed itself a few wobbles – and is now just one win away from advancing to the next round. The Dallas Mavericks make it more exciting
The Boston Celtics are just one win away from reaching the conference finals. The best team in the NBA main round defeated the heavily depleted Cleveland Cavaliers 109:102 away from home on Monday evening (local time) and took a 3:1 lead in wins.
With brief exceptions, the Celtics had the game under control, with a 15-point lead in the final quarter. Jayson Tatum was the most successful with 33 points, Jaylen Brown scored 27 for the Celtics. The latter said: “It took us a while to get going, to stop just chasing the ball and play basketball instead.”
Darius Garland scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, who were supported on the sideline by their ex-player LeBron James. Without Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (ribs), the Cavaliers gave their all, which satisfied coach J. B. Bickerstaff despite the defeat: “They fought at a high level. They played the game the right way. I’m proud of the guys for the way they went out and fought and gave us a chance. “
Dallas hits only twelve of 23 free throws
In the second game of the evening, the Dallas Mavericks squandered a 14-point lead and lost 96-100 at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Instead of traveling to Oklahoma with a 3-1 lead, the series is now tied 2-2.
The Mavericks, led by their stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, struggled in particular with free throws, hitting just twelve of 23 attempts. OKC, on the other hand, hit 23 of 24 free throws. Doncic finished the evening with 18 points, twelve rebounds and ten assists. Irving had just nine points and nine assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once again the decisive man for the visitors, scoring 34 points. “We just stayed in it and played possession after possession,” he said. “We’ve been in this situation before. We all have a job on this team and we’ve been doing it at a high level all season. “
