Final: Celtics 124, Mavericks 95 - Tatum triple double powers bounceback win

Game 38: Celtics (-3) at Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m., American Airlines Center, NBCS Boston/TNT

Injuries: 

Boston: Danilo Gallinari

Dallas: Maxi Kleber (hamstring), Dorian Finney-Smith (adductor), Josh Green (elbow)

Mavericks probable starters: Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Christian Wood.

Refs: Sean Wright (#4), Karl Lane (#77), JT Orr (#72)

Last time they played: Celtics 125 - Mavericks 112, November 23: The Celtics came out hot, they moved, they passed, they defended, and they held the Mavs to 49 first-half points while putting up 70 of their own. The 3-point barrage continued into the third, but the Mavs finally started hitting shots late in the 3rd and cut a 27-point lead all the way down to 9. The Celtics put one final closing run together at the end of the fourth to seal their 125-112 win. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 68

A little something about this game: The Mavs are 2-3 in their last 5 games after a four-game winning streak. They are 15-5 overall at American Airlines Center. Luka Doncic has scored at least 32 points in six straight games, including games of 50, 51, and 60. 

How the Celtics win: Attack the rim. Christian Wood isn’t going to be that big of a deterrent, and the Mavs are in the bottom third of the league at protecting the rim. This is a chance for Boston to punish the Mavs inside and fuel their 3-point shooting with kickouts. This could be a chance to get the offense back on track. 

Defensively, it’s about limiting the other guys around Doncic. 

“He’s gonna get his, that's life, but you gotta cut out the small things, leave it only at him getting his, and try to control the rest of the game,” Robert Williams said about covering Doncic. They know what they have to do here, they just have to resist the urge to help if Doncic is going off. He’s a pretty unstoppable player, so just accept he’s getting 30-something and cut everyone else off. 

How the Mavericks win: Obviously, all of the success is Luka-driven, so he’ll have to be a big part of any win. The Celtics need to stay home on Dallas shooters and not let Doncic’s gravity create too many opportunities for everyone else. If the Mavs are making their 3-pointers, Boston is in big trouble.

Things I’m looking for:

- Dueling without going overboard: Guys get hyped for these games against superstars. There is also MVP, All-Star, and All-NBA consideration at stake. How does the team navigate the waters of guys wanting to get their own stats with team play?

“I think those things are natural,” Joe Mazzulla said. “You don't want to suppress things that are going to happen. I think it's more about having the trust in our guys. I think our guys have the right intentions and they want to win. I've seen that as long as I've been here. And so I don't think it's an issue because of who they are as people they want to win as a team.”

It’s understandable for guys to search for their own offense, but it’s important for guys like Jayson Tatum to pay within themselves and not search too much for their offense.

“Everybody says play the game the same way every time, but you do get more excited, you do focus a little bit more I guess for those bigger games,” Tatum admitted. “It’s just kind of like as a kid, you dreamed about those matchups and big-time moments. So just kind of as a competitor, everybody raises their level or looks forward to those games just a little bit more.”

So Mazzulla has a point about the balance. The important thing is that the duel doesn’t dominate the game. 

- Robert Williams continuing his journey: He sat out the last game after experiencing a little soreness recently. He says he’s ready to go, and it’s playing through pain in the playoffs that helps him manage it this time around.

“I feel like it actually helps a lot because when I was playing during the playoffs last year, it was hurting pretty bad,” he said. “I felt that was the peak of it hurting on the court. Just going through that, now I know that limit. I know what I can push myself to.” 

- Malcolm Brogdon figuring things out: It has to happen sometime. He’s a real funk. 

Follow along below or in the comments during the game, chime in, and let’s have fun.