Jayson Tatum, Celtics cruise past Mavericks: 8 takeaways

Celtics Jayson Tatum, Celtics cruise late against Luka Doncic, Mavericks: 8 takeaways In a battle of potential MVP candidates, Doncic had the better stat line, but Tatum got the last laugh. Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic led their respective teams in points on Friday. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)
The Celtics used a balanced scoring attack to blow Friday’s game against the Mavericks open in the second half, claiming a 138-110 victory.
Here are the takeaways from the Celtics’ 10th straight win.
1. In a showdown between MVP candidates who very likely will not win MVP, Luka Doncic posted a better stat line, but Jayson Tatum came out the winner in a couple of different respects.
First, of course, was the actual final score — Tatum, who has allowed personal accolades to take a backseat to his team’s overall success on innumerable occasions this season, allowed the game to flow around him masterfully, which led to the lopsided final score.
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After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Tatum heated up a bit — scoring nine in the second and erupting for 16 in the third. His shot-making helped the Celtics pull away en route to 32 points on 10-for-19 shooting (5-for-9 from 3).
“I thought he did a great job of being patient,” Joe Mazzulla said. “Once the game slowed down and kind of lost its rhythm, I thought we went straight to him to be able to get us to do something different. So we got off to a great start as a team, which was great, he played a part in that, and we were able to kind of take advantage of some of his matchups later in the game.”
Tatum was also part of a defensive unit that is clearly far superior to the Mavericks, who have defensive leaks all over the floor. The Celtics’ starting unit is stalwart at every position.
None of this is meant to denigrate Doncic. The Mavericks star recorded a 37-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, and he threw some genuinely eye-popping passes out of the pick-and-roll, frequently finding rookie big Derrick Lively (who looks like a keeper for Dallas).
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Mazzulla noted postgame that Doncic is responsible for nearly 70 points per game.
“He puts a ton of pressure on with his ability to impact himself and impact his teammates,” Mazzulla said. “The points that he’s responsible for can really be the reason why they go on a lot of runs.”
But Tatum’s combination of both star talent and willingness to cede the spotlight to his teammates is a crucial part of the Celtics’ success this season. Doncic would undoubtedly enjoy playing on a roster as loaded as the Celtics, but the offense would look a lot different. Presumably, the Celtics are pretty happy with the way things stand.
2. Tatum got plenty of help, which — again — is one of the many separators between the Celtics and the Mavericks. Jaylen Brown dropped 25 points and five assists, while Kristaps Porzingis stretched the Mavericks from deep with four 3-pointers and posted 24 efficient points on 14 field-goal attempts.
“We’ve progressed to understanding that each night is going to look different,” Tatum said. “If it calls for me to come down the way they’re guarding us, if they’re switching and KP cuts to the basket or if he pops back off a screen, or JB has a mismatch, or we come down in transition and Al seeks out the mismatch at the block. Like if it calls for me to essentially pass the ball eight possessions in a row because that’s the right read, then you have to trust that that’s what’s going to help us win the game.
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“A lot of nights it’s different where maybe I only have to get going in the first quarter and move out the way in a sense in the second and third. Or on a night like tonight when other guys had it early and maybe that third quarter is where I find my opportunities. Every night is going to be different with how good of a team we have.”
3. Brown executed one of his better plays so far this year, which is saying something. But Friday’s whirling layup into a left-handed finish was an impressive feat that drew oohs and ahhs from a crowd that has witnessed its fair share of Brown’s athleticism.
Jaylen Brown just silenced a lot of people on this app 🤫 pic.twitter.com/atizegg10Q — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) March 2, 2024
“To be honest, I have no idea what made me do that,” Brown said. “Still a head scratcher. If I would have missed it, probably would have looked bad. But when you got the ability to jump and you got some hang time, you got a split second, you got a little extra time to make a decision. I still have some time in the air, and I just flipped it up with my left.”
The guess here is that Brown did not draw attention to his lefty finish by accident after social media spent an entire offseason making fun of his struggles with that hand. If there’s ever a good time to fire back, doing so after scoring 20-plus and converting a 360 layup as part of your team’s 10th straight win is pretty good timing.
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4. Xavier Tillman made his first rotation appearance for the Celtics and was solid, posting six points on 3-for-3 shooting in 15 minutes. Defensively, he looked comfortable — a nice switchable option on a team that now has myriad options at center.
Afterward, Tillman said he appreciated both his time observing Al Horford and the Celtics and the extended run to get his legs under him.
“It helps me find my rhythm and be comfortable faster versus me going out there and trying to figure it out,” Tillman said. It’s like, no, like I know what to expect now because I’ve been watching.”
5. Jrue Holiday finished 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Predictably, all three of his triples came from the corners. He is now shooting 44.9 percent from behind the arc and is up to 66.2 percent when shooting 3-pointers from the corner.
In other words, Holiday’s true-shooting percentage from the corners is an eye-popping 99.23 percent.
6. Kyrie Irving was once again booed heartily, but both he and the Celtics seem genuinely ready to ignore it and move on.
“They have a right to boo,” Irving said afterward. “And, you know, for my career record against them for the last few games I haven’t won, so until I beat them, they have all the right to continue to boo. I think that’s what makes the theatrics of sports and competitive sports fun and just got to embrace it. It’s a part of it.”
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Brown, meanwhile, thinks fans should expand their list of athletes to boo.
“To be honest, I ain’t got no thoughts on [booing Irving],” Brown said. “The fans, they do what they do and they’ve got whatever reason for that. I think they should boo every player, every star player that comes into our arena. I’d like to see that. Maybe it has an effect, maybe it doesn’t, but when Jokic and all these other players come in, boo them too.”
Tatum said he knows fans still resent the way Irving left.
“I have a great relationship with him,” Tatum said. “A few of us that are still here that played with him have a great relationship with him. We’ve all moved on from it, but you understand that fans are passionate and things like that. So I guess that is to be expected. But none of the players have any animosity towards Ky or anything like that.”
7. Tatum’s 26th birthday is Sunday, which is pretty bizarre to consider.
“I’m still relatively young, but it flies by,” Tatum told ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth on the broadcast postgame. “I remember getting drafted at 19 like it was yesterday. Now it’s Year 7, and I’m about to be 26. So I’m not trying to rush it. I’m just trying to stay in the moment, enjoy every second spending time with my family, and hopefully get a win.”
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Here’s hoping Tatum isn’t counting on a surprise party from Brown.
“Me plan something for JT’s birthday? Nah,” Brown said with a smile. “No, JT has been growing and it’s been great to see. We’ve been playing with each other for seven-plus years and it’s just been an honor.”
8. The Celtics take on the Warriors on Sunday at TD Garden. The game will be televised on ABC.
“We’ve won 10 games in a row,” Tatum said. “There’s nothing to really complain about. We’re on the right track.”