Boston Celtics Hold On
Mavs' Fourth-Quarter Rally Falls Short in Game 3
Dallas Mavericks nearly erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals, but the Boston Celtics held on to win 125-122 and take a 3-0 series lead.
The Celtics seemingly had the game in hand after taking a 103-81 lead early in the fourth quarter. But the Mavericks, led by Luka Dončić and Christian Wood, went on a 22-2 run to cut the deficit to 105-103 with 5:32 remaining.
The Celtics were able to weather the storm, however, and Dončić's potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out, giving Boston the victory.
Dončić finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Wood added 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 30 points, while Jaylen Brown added 25 points and 10 rebounds.
The Celtics can clinch their 19th NBA championship with a win in Game 4 on Friday night in Dallas.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, will need to win four straight games to force a Game 7. It's a tall task, but they've shown in the past that they're capable of anything.
The NBA Finals continue on Friday night with Game 4 in Dallas. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.
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