DALLAS — Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been through a lot together. They've shared failures, successes, and a bond as teammates for several years. After Boston's 106-99 win in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals over the Dallas Mavericks, Tatum made sure he found Brown at center court.

Tatum got the Celtics started with 20 points in the first half, finishing the contest with 31 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Brown helped close it out with nine of his 30 points coming in the fourth quarter. He also had eight rebounds, eight assists, and one block.

When Tatum was asked about his hug at the final buzzer with Brown, he revealed what he told his fellow 2024 All-Star.

“Just at that moment, you know, just told him I was proud of him and he said the same thing; that we've got to keep fighting,” he recalled during his Wednesday night postgame press conference. “We can't relax.”

The Celtics are now up 3-0 and will have a chance to seize their first title since 2008 during Game 4 on Friday evening. Dallas will be fighting for its life, so Tatum, Brown, and the rest of the C's understand that they still have work to do.

“We still have to play the right way,” Tatum stated. “We've still got to win. They are not going to quit, and we should expect the best from them from here on out.”

How Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in Game 3

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) celebrate after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game three of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center.
Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3 was a rare occasion for the Celtics. It was just the second time in franchise history in which Boston had two 30-point scorers in an NBA Finals game, per NBC Sports Boston statistician Dick Lipe.

Despite this special feat, the Green Team nearly lost control. The C's led by as much as 21 points before the Mavs came roaring back late in the fourth quarter, cutting the advantage all the way down to one with 3:37 left in the final frame.

Brown came in clutch though, as he notched a crucial tip-in following a missed floater from Tatum. That put the Celtics up 95-92 with 3:08 remaining, yet the Mavs wouldn't go quietly.

With just 1:20 to go, Dereck Lively II rocked the rim on a dunk to get Dallas within two once again. In response, Brown stayed aggressive and buried a tough jumper, giving the Celtics a pivotal 102-98 lead with 1:01 on the clock.

“I felt like I've been able to just deliver by being patient and being poised,” Brown said of his clutch performance. “Those opportunities have presented themselves, and I've been able to take advantage of them. But I give all my credit to my teammates for the trust they had in me to have the ball in my hands and to be able to make those plays.”

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Withstanding the Mavericks' run down the stretch didn't only require timely buckets. The Celtics also had to lock in on the defensive end and play intelligently.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Brown drew a charge on Mavericks star Luka Doncic. Boston then turned this mistake into points, with Tatum finding Brown for a 3-pointer on the very next possession. The playmaking from the Celtics' dynamic duo has been a huge factor in the Finals, and Doncic's foul turned out to be significant as well.

After Tatum collected a defensive rebound with 4:15 remaining in regulation, Brown quickly moved the ball up the court and went right at Doncic in transition. Dallas' go-to guy tried to create a charge from Brown's aggression, but it backfired, resulting in a sixth foul that booted him from the game.

This smart decision subtracted the Mavericks' best offensive weapon and slowed their momentum. Prior to that foul, Dallas was on a 20-8 run in the fourth quarter. Following Doncic's exit, Boston closed out the win with a 13-9 run of its own.

“The defensive intensity ramped up. Officiating, you know, got a little bit tighter. So at the end of the day, you've just got to make plays,” Brown said when asked how the Celtics survived the Dallas' late-game surge. “We were able to make plays and find a way to win. And we've been in those positions, and we've lost. It was great to overcome that with my brother, Jayson, and with our team. That was special.”

Tatum and Brown accounted for over half of the Celtics' final point total. They also had exactly half of the Green Team's total assists. Evidently, they've grown together into the leaders their team needs, especially in times of distress like late on Wednesday night.

Boston's terrific tandem knows that this is no time to celebrate, though.

“I'm just trying to stay in the moment,” Brown admitted. “It feels great to be up 3-0 in the series but the job is not done.”