Celtics top Mavericks 105-98 in Game 2 of NBA Finals, lead 2-0

Dallas struggles with free throws while Boston struggles from beyond the arc. Celtics win Game 2, leading series 2-0.

The Dallas Mavericks came out strong in the opening period of Game 2, establishing a lead of 28-25 over the Boston Celtics. Luka Doncic led the charge with 13 points, but the Mavericks struggled at the free-throw line, only making 4 of 9 attempts.

Kristaps Porzingis made an impact off the bench for Boston, scoring eight points and contributing a block. While Dallas faltered at the free-throw line, Boston had trouble connecting from beyond the arc, missing their first eight 3-point attempts before Al Horford finally made one.

The second quarter saw Boston take the lead, heading into halftime with a score of 54-51. Jrue Holiday led the Celtics in scoring with 17 points, while Jayson Tatum had a tough shooting night with only five points. However, Tatum did contribute eight assists.

Dallas heavily relied on Doncic for scoring, as he finished the game with 23 points on efficient shooting. Kyrie Irving and Derrick Jones Jr. also contributed, but the Mavericks lacked a consistent offensive threat outside of Doncic.

Boston pulled away in the third quarter, building a 13-point lead. Dallas fought back to make it a six-point game, but a buzzer-beating three from Payton Pritchard extended Boston's lead to 83-74 going into the final quarter.

Despite a late push from Dallas, they couldn't overcome Boston's lead, ultimately falling short in Game 2. The series now shifts to Dallas for Game 3, where the Mavericks will look to avoid falling into a 3-0 deficit, a situation from which no team has ever recovered. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET.