Led by the injured Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks are set to take on the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Doncic was initially listed as questionable with a chest contusion but was deemed eligible for Sunday night's showdown. He is also playing through a right knee sprain and a sore left ankle.
Doncic was in Dallas' starting five and was seen wearing heavy wraps before the start of the game.
Prior to Game 2, Mavs coach Jason Kidd told reporters he believed Doncic hurt his chest while taking a charge or diving for a loose ball. Doncic finished pregame warmups before the team officially announced he was available to play.
Can Dallas even up the series? Follow along with live score updates, game stories, photos and more from our staff on-site at TD Garden in Boston.
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Box score | Play-by-play
Game Updates
– 4:40 left in the 4th quarter: Kyrie Irving hit Daniel Gafford with an alley-oop pass to cut the deficit to eight. Suddenly, Boston had some significant injuries to monitor, with Kristaps Porzingis limping up and down the court.
The Mavericks were trailing 97-89 while Joe Mazzulla called a timeout.
– 8 minutes and 6 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter: After a quick layup by Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks were up by seven. It was a relatively quiet night for Irving, who shot 6-of-15 from the field. He was Dallas' second-leading scorer with 14 points, while Luka Doncic was the Mavericks' leading scorer with 29 points.
Boston leads 90-83.
End of third quarter
Boston was in control going into the fourth quarter thanks to a 34-foot pass from Payton Pritchard. The Celtics struggled with 3-pointers all game but found a new rhythm in the second half. Dallas had 12 minutes to bounce back and turn things around.
The Celtics lead 83-74.
– 2 minutes, 57 seconds remaining in the 3rd period: Jason Kidd, realizing the trouble the Mavs were in, called another timeout, and Boston extended its lead to double digits behind big plays from Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown in the final two minutes.
The Celtics lead 77-66.
– 4 minutes, 56 seconds remaining in the 3rd period: Jason Kidd called a timeout after Jaylen Brown finished smoothly at the rim with Boston holding its largest lead of the game at 69-63. The Mavs have plenty of time to bounce back, but they need to end this slump.
Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 21 points.
– 7:29 left in the 3rd quarter: There's still very little difference in this game. Dallas' big men came on strong after the break, with P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II all making good runs at the opposing goal.
Luka Doncic came close to recording a postseason triple-double with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead Dallas, which lost 63-61.
End of 2nd Quarter
– Luka Doncic played like Luka Doncic in the first half. Dallas is still losing.
Boston led by three at halftime after a fast-paced game that included some quick scoring from Jrue Holiday. Boston struggled with 3-point shooting and the Mavs were hampered by several missed free throws.
The Mavericks made 5 of 11 free throws, with Luka Doncic and Josh Green combining for 4. Doncic led all scorers with 23 points and Holiday had 17.
Boston leads 54-51.
– 3 minutes and 56 seconds remaining in the second round: Dallas and Boston are now locked in a close game, with both teams trading the advantage at different points in the quarter before July Holiday tied the score with a cutting layup.
Luka Doncic's amazing day continues with another notable highlight, this time involving his teammate and making a no-look pass to Derrick Jones Jr. for the quick score, tying the score at 42-42.
– 7 minutes left in the 2nd quarter: After struggling with 3-pointers early on, Boston took the lead for the first time when Derrick White made a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a 36-35 lead.
Luka Doncic was the man to watch throughout the first half, scoring 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
End of first quarter
– The first quarter played out very differently than Game 1. Dallas led by three points at the end of the first quarter, with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combining for 21 points.
Good news for Mavs fans: Doncic found a fan to chime in after a bit of chat. Despite his injury, Doncic dominated early in the game, making some of his usual long-range shots, while Boston's star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for two points.
Dallas leads 28-25.
– 8 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter: Dallas was riding high early on, as quick scoring from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks to a 13-6 lead early in Game 2.
Dallas' largest lead in Game 1 was four points.
– Game 2 of the NBA Finals is underway at TD Garden.
Pre-match updates
7:04 PM: Luka Doncic will start tonight, but the Mavs are clearly treating his injury with extra caution. Doncic was about five or six minutes away from joining the rest of the team for pregame shooting drills.
He was seen before the start of the game with heavy bandages on his torso and right knee.
6:58 PM: Former Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis is getting a hero's welcome at TD Garden after his dominant performance in Game 1.
Mavericks starters: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington Jr., Daniel Gafford
Celtics starting lineup: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
6:45pm: The Celtics appear to have kept the receipts.
Before Game 2 on Sunday, a clip of Kyrie Irving's remarks was shown on the Jumbotron at TD Garden, where Irving said, “I thought there'd be a little more noise in here.”
Irving was then greeted onto the court by a chorus of boos.
Here's Irving's full statement from his Game 1 press conference: “I thought it would be a little bit more noise here and I expect the same in Game 2. We just need to keep our energy focused on the game. I feel like we had a lot of great chances. They hit the back of the rim or they missed a little bit left or right. We just need to stay confident and stay composed throughout this game.”
5:55 PM: The Mavericks could count on Luka Doncic for Game 2. Shortly after Doncic finished warming up, the team announced he was available for Sunday night's showdown in Boston.
5:45pm: Luka Doncic finished his pregame routine with a free throw and a 3-pointer, and Jason Kidd said the Mavs star will go through his warm-up routine before deciding whether to play in Game 2.
Pre-match reading
Welcome to the finals
— What to know about Mavericks vs Celtics in the NBA Finals: Schedule, how to watch, and more
— Kyrie Irving won't let the “outside noise” from Boston disturb him as he focuses on fighting back in Game 2
— Luka Doncic is in prime position for the NBA Finals, but can the Mavericks make the most of it?
— History could work in the Mavericks' favor as they look to bounce back in Game 2 against the Celtics.
— Mavericks' Jason Kidd called Jaylen Brown the best player in Boston. One Celtic player agreed.
Top Feature Articles
— Dallas' NBA championship hopes hinge on Jason Kidd — Mavericks draft picks, players, champions, coaches
— History is on the Celtics' side, but bet on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks at your own peril
— Mavs' Derek Lively II on being shocked by his success: “I don't think anybody expected this.”
— Q&A with Isaiah Thomas: Where do Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving fit into the NBA's best backcourts?
— From journeyman to starter: Mavs' Derrick Jones Jr. will have a say in the NBA Finals
Preview, Prediction
— Which coach will have the advantage in the NBA Finals: Mavericks' Jason Kidd or Celtics' Joe Mazzulla?
— Who are the players who will be active on the Mavs and Celtics? A reporter talks about the players to watch in the NBA Finals.
— Will Luka Doncic or Porzingis be the key for the Mavs vs. Celtics? Doris Burke and JJ Redick talk NBA Finals
— Who will win the NBA Finals? Dallas and Boston reporters predict the Mavs vs. Celtics
— NBA Finals odds: Celtics expected to win Game 1, but more money betting on Mavericks
Scouting the Celtics
— Scouting the Mavericks vs. Celtics: Why the Boston vs. Dallas regular season game doesn't tell the story
— How the Boston Celtics are using extended rest as a “weapon” ahead of the NBA Finals
— Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown feel ready for a second chance in the NBA Finals.
— Mavs vs. Celtics in the NBA Finals: Kyrie Irving's return to TD Garden, Boston's dynamic duo, and more
— Could the Mavs' Game 5 win be a blueprint for victory against the Boston Celtics?
Meet the Mavericks
— How the Mavs were built, from the Kyrie Irving trade to the NBA Finals
— Who are the Dallas Mavericks assistant coaches? Meet Jason Kidd's staff
— Five months after buying the Mavericks, Gov. Patrick Dumont is happy they're in the NBA Finals.
— Ahead of the NBA Finals, take a look back at the Mavericks' memorable moments from the 2023-24 NBA season
— How do the current Mavericks compare to Dallas' 2011 NBA championship winning team?
About Luca
— Mavericks' Luka Doncic celebrates first NBA Finals appearance: 'Never take it for granted'
— Who is the best NBA backcourt? Compare the Mavs' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to the best duo of all time
— As the NBA Finals begin, remember that Luka Doncic has been a clutch player against Boston.
— Larry Bird? Here's the biggest difference between Mavs' Luka Doncic and the NBA icon
— 10 things to know about Mavs star Luka Doncic, including his wild shot and NBA Finals debut
The biggest finals stories
— What will be the biggest highlight of the NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics?
— What happened between Kyrie Irving and the Celtics? A timeline of his tenure in Boston
— Kristaps Porzingis' bid to ruin the Mavs' NBA Finals seems like someone's joke.
— From Dallas to Boston: Former Mavs forward Kristaps Porzingis' journey to the NBA Finals
See more Dallas Morning News coverage of the Mavericks here..
