NBA Playoffs Recap 2024: Mavericks’ Victory Over Thunder and Celtics vs Cavaliers

Dallas held on for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference playoffs as the Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-101 on Saturday. Kyrie Irving scored 22 points, including a running left-hander in the lane in the closing minute.

Along with his 15 rebounds, Luka Doncic finished with 22 points, while P.J. Washington scored 27, which was just two points short of his playoff high from the night before.

With 29 seconds remaining and the Thunder down five, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 31 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, was called for a charge while Doncic was guarding a drive.

Oklahoma City began the playoffs 5-0 but has since dropped its last two games. Dallas will host Game 4 on Monday night.

With 14 points in the second half, Irving recovered from just the third single-digit scoring game in his illustrious postseason career. In the fourth quarter, he led the Mavs to their largest lead of the game at nine points after six straight Dallas baskets.

When he and Lu Dort, the NBA scoring champion’s key defender, lunged for a loose ball in the last two minutes of play, Doncic—who entered the game with a damaged right knee and a sore left ankle—hard-landed on his back. Doncic recovered the loose ball after a jump ball call put Dallas ahead three.

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Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93

Boston looked more like themselves after faltering at home in Game 3, defeating Cleveland in Game 3 to grab a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jayson Tatum scored 33 points, Jaylen Brown added 28, and Boston looked more like themselves.

Following their 24 point defeat in Game 2 on their home parquet court, the top-seeded Celtics didn’t play around.
That dismal showing brought up memories of the first round, when the Celtics defeated Miami in Game 2 before going on to win three more games and eliminate the Heat. Boston was favored by double digits.

After Tatum converted a three-point play, the Celtics led by 23 points at the break after scoring 14 points in a row to start the second half.
For the Cavaliers, who stunned Boston in March by rallying from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter, that was simply too much.

For Cleveland, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points, but his play was laborious in the fourth quarter due to an aggravating left knee ailment. With 1:19 remaining, Boston was up 13 points and in command when Mitchell walked off the court and into the locker room.