Top Takeaways from Luka Doncic, Mavs vs. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
The Dallas Mavericks ended the Boston Celtics' five-game win streak with a 95-92 road victory. Dallas overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to earn the win, which improved the team's record to 42-26.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with a game-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds and eight assists. He found Spencer Dinwiddie (18 points) for the go-ahead three-pointer with 11.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter to break a 92-92 tie.
Boston, which fell to 41-28, opened with some strong defense but fell apart in the second half. The Celtics also struggled on offense throughout the game. Jayson Tatum led the team with 21 points, but he was held to just four after halftime, ending his streak of five straight 30-point games.
So what did we learn about both teams after Sunday's game? Let's take a look.
Dorian Finney-Smith Is Dallas' Most Underrated Offensive Weapon
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Sixth-year swingman Dorian Finney-Smith is known for his stellar defensive ability on the wing. But it's his offense that has been a key to the Mavs' success this season, and that was very apparent Sunday.
Dallas struggled to get into a rhythm in the first half, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field. Finney-Smith was quiet with just one point in the first two quarters. Despite the slow start, his confidence wasn't affected in the second half.
Finney-Smith came out firing in the third quarter, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. His corner three-pointers helped open things up for the rest of the Mavs to cut into the deficit. Finney-Smith finished with 19 points as Dallas was able to complete the comeback.
The 28-year-old is averaging just 10.6 points, which is a career high, but don't sleep on his offensive impact. Dallas has lost the last four games when Finney-Smith has scored under 10 points. Comparatively, the Mavericks have won 12 consecutive games in which he scores in double figures. The last time the team lost when Finney-Smith had 10-plus points was on Jan. 30.
The Mavericks signed Finney-Smith to a four-year, $52 million extension in February, refusing to let him hit free agency this offseason. A performance like he had Sunday is a clear reason why Dallas chose to lock him up before he hit the open market.
Finney-Smith is emerging into a consistent two-way player who can affect the game on both ends of the floor. If he continues to play confidently on offense, it would give Dallas an under-the-radar weapon who can support Doncic in the playoffs.
Celtics Doomed by Short-Handed Rotation
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The way Boston was playing to start the game, it looked like the team would be on its way to an easy win that would've been poetic leading into Kevin Garnett's jersey retirement ceremony.
Despite not shooting well from the outside, the Celtics pounded the Mavs with 28 points in the paint in the first half. The players were aggressive and energetic, but they couldn't match that intensity in the second half.
Boston had just three players come off the bench Sunday, leading to an eight-man rotation. All five Celtics starters scored in double figures, but the team got just 15 points off the bench from Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.
The fourth quarter was a massive struggle for Boston. It looked as though the players ran out of gas and were shooting on tired legs as they connected on just 6-of-23 field goals.
It was somewhat surprising that veteran forward Daniel Theis didn't see any minutes Sunday. But other than him, Boston simply doesn't have many viable options coming off the bench. Players like Nik Stauskas, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet usually only see action during garbage time, so it's no shock that they didn't get on the floor in a close game.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka will have to find a way to get more production from his reserves. A short rotation in the playoffs would place a massive burden on Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who scored 14 points Sunday. If Boston hopes to make a postseason run, other players will have to step up to alleviate the pressure from the team's stars.
