It wasn't pretty, but the Boston Celtics managed to take home Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Despite a sub-par shooting night from several players, other factors in the team's performance garnered them a 105-98 victory, resulting in a 2-0 series lead.
To dive into the details of Game 2, maybe a quick recap would be the best start. It was a close first half from both teams, and one that wasn't exactly thrilling for spectators. Both the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks struggled to find momentum on offense. For Boston, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis did most of the damage (in the first two quarters). On the other side, it was a one-man show from Luka Doncic. The Celtics led by three at halftime, 54-53.
In the final 24 minutes, however, the green and white started to build momentum. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to score 15 of Boston's 29 third-quarter points, giving the Celtics a nine-point advantage entering the fourth.
During the final period, Derrick White started to find his touch, as the Celtics led by 14 with 3:34 remaining in the game. Dallas would cut the lead to five, but a late-game block by White stopped the momentum. With 30 seconds left, Jaylen Brown made a crucial layup to seal the deal for Boston.
Now, it's time to take a look at the factors that highlighted the team's Sunday win.
Jrue Holiday's all-around game
If there was one Celtic that stood out in Game 2, it was Jrue Holiday. As mentioned earlier, the guard was doing the damage for his team in the first half. He would continue his stellar play throughout the night, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and zero turnovers.
Holiday also made plenty of quality plays not seen in the box score. Perfectly-timed cuts to the basket, quick passes to the open man, accurate defensive reads — the 33-year-old had a flawless game.
And speaking of defense, it wouldn't be a Jrue Holiday night without his presence on that side of the ball. Holiday was a big reason why Kyrie Irving struggled and why Luka Doncic committed eight turnovers.
The Jays
Moving on to the Celtics' dynamic duo, both didn't exactly have spectacular games. Tatum finished with 18 points on 27.3% shooting while Brown had 21 points and six turnovers. Nevertheless, anyone who watched Game 2 would know that the Jays contributed significantly in other ways.
Tatum had a near triple-double, tallying nine rebounds and 12 assists to his name. The Celtics' drive-and-kick offense was running because of his ability to make good reads whenever double-teams arose.
As for Brown, his effort on defense was felt. The wingman finished with three steals, and he wasn't afraid to take on the Mavs' top scorers on an island. Whether it was Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving, Brown embraced the challenge of guarding whoever was in front of him.
The Celtics' other role players
Kristaps Porzingis may have suffered an injury scare in the second half, but as indicated earlier, the seven-footer was lighting it up in the first quarter. By halftime, Porzingis already had 10 points on just four shot attempts. He would finish the game with 12 points in over 23 minutes of action.
Derrick White can also be mentioned here. While he did struggle to find his shooting touch throughout the first half, White eventually delivered, sinking all of his threes in the final 24 minutes. And of course, the fourth quarter was highlighted by his game-saving chasedown block on PJ Washington. White ended the night with 18 points and three steals.
All in all, it was a gritty team win, led by Holiday's big performance. Game 3 tips off in Dallas on Wednesday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Follow Us
Subscribe