On Sunday night, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks took on another challenging NBA Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics. After losing Game 1 by nearly 20 points, Dallas closed the gap in Game 2. Still, the Mavs fell 108-95 after a stout display from Boston. Several areas are to blame for Dallas' Game 2 shortcomings. Most notably, the Mavs need more from Kyrie Irving and their shooting from the free throw line.
Dallas vengefully entered Game 2 following their 107-89 series-opening loss. Luka Doncic continues to do all he can to help his team. He totaled 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Game 1 and took things to a higher level on Sunday night. The All-NBA guard amassed 32 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds, arguably solidifying himself as the best player on the floor. Nevertheless, the Celtics proved to be too much to handle.
Boston showed the might of their depth once again on Sunday. They received strong performances from four key players. Jayson Tatum nearly matched Luka Doncic's triple-double effort. The star Celtics forward finished with 18 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Tatum's partner-in-crime, Jaylen Brown, notched 21 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Moreover, Boston's backcourt shined brightly.
Jrue Holiday stepped up big time with a team-leading 26 points and 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, Derrick White put up 18 points and five rebounds. In addition, Holiday and White played serviceable defense on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Speaking of which, Boston's defense on Irving is part of the reason he had another subpar offensive night.
Mavericks' Kyrie Irving must overcome the Celtics defense if Dallas is to win
Irving ended the night with 16 points, an improvement from his 12-point Game 1 showing but not quite enough to get Dallas over the hump.
The former NBA champion had no issues taking shots. He attempted 18 but only knocked down eight of them. Irving can match Luka Doncic's 30-point efforts, just like he did during the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yet, Boston's backcourt defense might be the best Irving has faced in a long time. So, how can Irving overcome his woes?
Dallas needs its other contributors to increase their offensive output to make up for Irving's struggles. PJ Washington scored an earnest 17 points, while Daniel Gafford and Derrick Jones had 13 and 11, respectively. The Mavericks need someone off the bench to be sparkplug. Unfortunately, one of Dallas' biggest momentum shifters did not play on Sunday.
Tim Hardaway has dealt with injury woes that have prevented him from fully contributing. He played in Game 1 but was not able to do much. Perhaps Josh Green can erupt for a standout shooting display in Game 3. Alternatively, Dante Exum could come alive like he did earlier in the season for the Mavs. Regardless, Jason Kidd and the company will find a way to spark momentum in the next matchup.
Dallas must be better at the stripe to close the gap
One of the biggest differences in the game was free-throw shooting. The Mavericks shot a lowly 66.7 percent from the stripe compared to the Celtics' 95.0 percent clip. Dallas lost by seven points. If they had made just seven more free throws than the 16-for-24 they shot, they would have tied the game. The Mavs must dial in and knock down their foul shots to give themselves a chance to one.
On the bright side, Dallas scored more points in the paint and outrebounded Boston on Sunday night. If they can clean up their scoring woes, they can bounce back for Game 3. Expect Luka Donic, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Mavs lineup to come out firing on all cylinders.
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