Saturday’s NBA playoff takeaways: Mavericks take series edge, Celtics bounce back strongly

By Anthony Slater, Tim Cato, Jay King, Jared Weiss and Joe Vardon

The Boston Celtics bounced back from their embarrassing Game 2 loss to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers and take back a series lead Saturday, winning on the road 106-93.

The Cavs made a spirited fourth-quarter comeback attempt after trailing by double digits for most of the game, but Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — who combined for 61 points and 22 rebounds — responded to protect the victory.

The Celtics will look to continue their road success Monday.

In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second straight game to take a 2-1 series lead.

Mavs forward P.J. Washington continued his dominant play, scoring a team-high 27 points on 11-of-23 shooting with five 3-pointers in the 105-101 victory. Star guards Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić each scored 22 points, with Irving dishing out seven assists and Dončić grabbing 15 rebounds.

Go off, @PJWashington 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aBui6CPWyr

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 11, 2024

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only player to score more than 16 points; his 31 were a game high, but so were his five turnovers.

Dallas outrebounded Oklahoma City thanks to 15 offensive boards.

Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93Series: Boston leads 2-1

Game 4: Monday in Cleveland

Boston’s defensive intensity returnedThe Celtics had a chance to close the door on Cleveland after taking a 23-point lead early in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers wouldn’t go away. They chipped away at the deficit until pulling within 9 points early in the fourth quarter. With the Cleveland crowd going wild, it could have been trouble for Boston.

Out of a timeout, Tatum drove for a bucket. Moments later, Brown drove for another. The Cavaliers kept pace for a while but could never pull closer than 9 points the rest of the way. The Celtics had every answer down the stretch. Brown hit a one-legged runner. Tatum sank a fadeaway jumper. Boston’s offense delivered time after time.

The Celtics left Game 2 disappointed in their defense. They didn’t believe they showed playoff intensity during the loss. The theme from the players at shootaround Saturday morning was that, no matter what they did offensively, they needed to work a lot harder on the other end of the court. They did that. But they still needed to execute at the other end down the stretch. If they keep doing that in big moments, like they did in Game 3, they’ll be tough for any opponent to beat. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer

Tatum still effective despite poor shootingAs this series carries on, Tatum’s sharp shooting just isn’t arriving. It didn’t matter in Game 3. He was the most aggressive he’s been this series when attacking the rim, he dominated the boards, and he was Boston’s best rim protector. Tatum is showing that while most stars can’t be kept from scoring or passing or whatever it is they do best, he will do everything else at a high level to make an impact.

With Brown shooting lights out once again, Boston never had a big letdown. Jrue Holiday bullied his way to the rim to keep the second unit afloat. Derrick White started hitting shots just when they needed it. This was the Celtics balanced through and through. Cleveland needs more shooters to get free and make some noise, but Donovan Mitchell is carrying the offense. It simply isn’t enough when Boston is rolling on all cylinders. — Jared Weiss, Celtics beat writer

Stop playing with him 😤 pic.twitter.com/PiUY4kboW2

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 12, 2024

Cleveland ailing without Jarrett AllenDean Wade played his first game in two months, but Allen didn’t join him — and he could have a huge impact in this series if he were able to play.

Whereas Wade missed two full months with a sprained knee and returned to action in Game 3 for 5 points in 16 minutes, Allen has missed six playoff games in a row with what the team is calling a rib bruise. There has been reporting by The Athletic and other outlets about how much pain Allen is in — that his rib was “pierced” by the Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner two weeks ago.

Allen could have had a huge presence in this series because he would make Al Horford even more vulnerable. Horford is starting with Kristaps Porziņģis likely out for the series with a calf injury, and his absence has underscored his value to Boston. The Celtics wised up in Game 3 and kept Horford closer to the paint, which left Isaac Okoro wide open to shoot 3s. This is what teams trying to beat the Cavs often do: They force Okoro to shoot. It worked; he missed all four 3s and shot 1 of 7 from the field.

With Allen and Evan Mobley on the court together, yes, the Cavs would give up some of the spacing they play so well with. But in this particular series, Cleveland might be helped by Boston’s having to guard Allen and Mobley or risk being gutted in the lane, which the Cavs proved willing to do in Game 2.

Mitchell is still red-hot, having turned in another 33-point game. The Cavs seemed to chase the 3-pointer and go away from what worked so well in Game 2. They were 12 of 36 from 3 and 36 of 84 overall — poor shooting numbers that won’t be good enough to beat the Celtics.

The Cavs enjoyed a modicum of success at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarters going ultra-small, too, playing Sam Merrill with Mitchell, Darius Garland and Caris LeVert. With Horford on the floor, it seemed like the pace might be too quick.

The biggest takeaway from Game 3 for the Cavs is that options remain. Boston did not look like a team that had figured it all out yet (not leaving Okoro open to shoot in Game 2 was basic malpractice). There is time for Cleveland to find the right combinations and exploit them.

It would be easier if Allen could find his way back. — Joe Vardon, senior NBA writer

Luka Dončić celebrates during the Mavericks’ Game 3 win Saturday. (Tim Heitman / Getty Images)

Mavericks 105, Thunder 101Series: Dallas leads 2-1

Game 4: Monday in Dallas

Thunder’s hack strategy doesn’t workThe Thunder blew a double-digit third-quarter lead and entered desperation mode in the middle of the fourth, trailing by a handful of points and needing to extend the game. So Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault went to the hack strategy, intentionally fouling rookie center Dereck Lively II four times.

It helped initially. Lively, a 50 percent free-throw shooter who hadn’t attempted one in the first two games of the series, went 1 of 4 after the first two fouls. The Thunder inched back, and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd temporarily pulled him.

But Kidd quickly went back to Lively, and the Thunder fouled twice more. Lively made all four, boosting Dallas’ lead to five with 3:06 left.

“We like doing it when there’s a numbers advantage to doing it. I give Lively credit; he made those last four,” Daigneault said regarding the fouling.

That was enough for the Mavericks to survive, beating the Thunder to go up 2-1 in the series and perhaps discouraging OKC from using the strategy again. Lively finished the game 8 of 12 on free throws.

The Thunder gave up 15 offensive rebounds, were outscored 52-38 in the paint and continue to get burned by their willingness to leave open Washington, who has 56 combined points in the two Mavericks wins in this series. It’s regroup time for a suddenly stumbling Thunder team. — Anthony Slater, NBA writer

Full-team effort for Dallas gets it doneDallas wouldn’t have won Game 3 without its entire roster. It’s a team that’s built around Dončić, who dominates an opponent’s focus and the league’s attention every game. But with Dončić hobbled with a knee injury, the Mavericks needed to pick up their star, and they did.

Washington led the team in scoring following his 29-point Game 2 outing. Irving had stretches of brilliance, finishing with 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting.

On the other end, Dončić stepped up to his teammates’ defensive level. He hit the floor time and again, fighting through his various ailments to participate in every possession. He was joined by the full force of everyone around him: Oklahoma City went through multiple stretches with no ability to find positive shots.

Lively has been the player who has most allowed this. Though Lively has impressed since the moment his rookie season began, he has consistently switched onto the Thunder’s most difficult defenders and held up despite it in this series.

With the physicality returning to Game 3, which has enabled Dallas’ defensive success over the regular season’s final months, this team once again can craft winning recipes from either side of the court. — Tim Cato, Mavericks beat writer

Sunday’s schedule:
NBA Draft Lottery: 3 p.m. ET
New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers: 3:30 p.m. ET (New York leads 2-1)
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves: 8 p.m. ET (Minnesota leads 2-1)
Required reading
Jalen Williams’ steep ascent up the Oklahoma City Thunder blueprint
Mavericks’ resilience is their greatest strength, and it showed in Game 2 vs. Thunder
(Top photo of Jayson Tatum and Evan Mobley: Jason Miller / Getty Images)