The Celtics and Mavericks are facing off in Game 2. Follow along with the Globe staff at TD Garden. - The Boston Globe (2024)

Celtics 36, Mavericks 35 — 8:55 p.m.

Celtics 36, Mavericks 35 | 7:00, second quarter

Luka Doncic scores a quick 7 points in the first two minutes of the second quarter, and he’s already got 20 with seven minutes to play in the half.

A Derrick White 3-pointer gives the Celtics their first lead of the night, and Joe Mazzulla opts for a timeout after a chaotic sequence on both ends. Jayson Tatum finally has his first points of the game after a smooth layup, but he’s just 1 of 7 from the field so far. — Touri

Matthew Slater honored — 8:51 p.m.

Former Patriot Matthew Slater is in the house tonight to be honored as the “Hero Among Us” for the his work volunteering in the community.

“With unwavering passion, Matthew has devoted countless hours to uplifting the lives of underserved individuals across New England,” the Celtics said in a release. “Slater’s commitment to serving others is rooted in his belief in the power of community. A testament to his desire to make tangible differences for those around him, Slater remains dedicated to supporting foster families, youth leaders and mentorship programs even in retirement.”

End of first quarter: Mavs 26, Celtics 25 — 8:40 p.m.

Ten of the Celtics’ 25 points have come on free throws. – Finn

Celtics fans hated that loose ball foul on Jaylen Brown, and so intervened the principle of “ball don’t lie” — Daniel Gafford misses both shots from the line, and Kristaps Porzingis tied the game with a jumper on the other end.

Not quite the free-scoring Celtics of Game 1′s first quarter — after one, Dallas leads, 28-25, after Porzingis fouled Josh Green on a 3-pointer with 0.1 on the clock. Just before that, back-to-back layups from Kyrie Irving to close the quarter were answered by Boston’s first triple of the night when Al Horford drilled one to the corner, but the Celtics are just 1 for 9 from deep. Luka Doncic scored 13 points in the opening period to lead all scorers. Porzingis has 8 for Boston. — Touri

Celtics have to feel OK being down 3 considering six different players are 0-for-something from 3 and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have combined for 2 points. — Finn

Celtics can’t hit from 3 — 8:32 p.m.

Mavericks 22, Celtics 16 | 2:38, first quarter

Slow shooting start for the Celtics, who are now 0 for 7 from deep after that Jaylen Brown miss. Two bricks from Sam Hauser — he’ll need to hit those open looks if he wants to stay on the floor in this series.

Brown makes the dunk of the night — 8:27 p.m.

By Khari Thompson

I know it’s early ... but I think we just saw the dunk of the night.

Jaylen Brown just put a sick crossover on Doncic for a two-handed slam. Maxi Kleber made a business decision not to jump to contest Brown. SportsCenter Top 10 worthy.

Swayman in the house — 8:25 p.m.

The Bruins goalie got a big cheer when shown on the jumbotron.

Kidd’s challenge is unsuccessful — 8:22 p.m.

Jason Kidd opts to use his challenge very early, asking for a second look on a PJ Washington foul as the Dallas forward tried to block Derrick White. No dice — challenge is unsuccessful, and White will shoot two. — Touri

Wow, that looked clean.

Bad angle on ESPN! Second angle made it clear. Also, I miss TNT. — Finn

Mavericks 13, Celtics 6 — 8:15 p.m.

Mavericks 13, Celtics 6 | 8:18, first quarter

The Mavericks needed a little more from their stars, and their stars are off to a strong start. Luka Doncic hits a couple fallaways and a little floater and Kyrie Irving slashes to the rim for an early layup and a stepback jumper in a quick start for Dallas. The Celtics are already throwing different bodies at Doncic right away — Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White have each picked him up at least once already. Timeout Boston with the Mavericks leading, 13-6, with 8:18 to play in the first quarter. — Touri

I like the version of Joe Mazzulla that uses timeouts. — Finn

And we’re off — 8:09 p.m.

Predictions? Thoughts? Chat in the comments with other subscribers. — McInerney

Luka spotted with heating pack — 8:05 p.m.

Noting that Luka Doncic appears to be wearing a large bandage — probably a heating pack — covering the lower right side of his torso ahead of tip off. Doncic was listed as questionable ahead of the game with ankle/knee/chest issues; the last one seems like it might be the real culprit for his status. — Touri

After the Jaylen > Jayson stuff from Jason Kidd, I don’t believe anything from the Mavs — it’s all desperate gamesmanship. And I’m sticking with that until Luka can’t go anymore. So there. — Finn

It will be interesting to see how much the Celtics attack Luka when they’re on offense. His defense was already suspect, and if he’s at all hobbled going at him may be part of the gameplan. — Thompson

They knew what they were doing — 7:50 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Just before the Celtics entered the court ahead of tip off, the in-game entertainment staff stirred the pot a little by displaying Kyrie Irving’s post-Game 1 quote — “I thought it was going to be a little louder in here” — on the jumbotron.

The response from the TD Garden was predictable. Irving will be getting no reprieve tonight.

How loud does TD Garden actually get at a Celtics game? We measured it. — 7:45 p.m.

If you’ve ever been in the building for a big Celtics win, you know TD Garden can get pretty loud.

But how loud are we talking? Globe video producer Olivia Yarvis wanted to find out. She bought a decibel meter off Amazon and put it to the test during Game 1.

Here’s what she found:

Sam Cassell visits an old friend — 7:40 p.m.

By Amin Touri

As former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich received the NBA’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday, he had a little support from the Boston bench in the room.

Celtics assistant Sam Cassell, a two-time champion with the Rockets before winning one with Boston in 2018, snuck away from the Celtics’ pregame preparation to see his old friend honored ahead of Game 2.

Cassell played for Tomjanovich in Houston from 1993-1996, winning titles in 1994 and 1995.

Stars are in the building for Game 2 — 7:25 p.m.

By Katie McInerney

It’s another star-studded crowd here at TD Garden.

Former Celtic Paul Pierce is among a handful of team alumni at the game, including Jason Terry, Sam Vincent, Sam Perkins, Dana Barros, Leon Powe, Tacko Fall, ML Carr, Glenn McDonald, Mal Graham, and Kevin Stacom.

Karen Russell, Bill Russell’s daughter, will also be at Game 2.

Shaquille O’Neal is in the house, as is rapper Travis Scott and producer Metro Boomin. Singer Bia is performing at halftime.

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman will be at the game, as are Bruins players David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman.

On the Patriots’ side, Matthew Slater, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Deatrich Wise, and KJ Osborn are in the building.

Luka’s available — 7:05 p.m.

By Amin Touri

No surprise: Luka Doncic is playing tonight, according to the Mavericks. He was listed as questionable with ankle and knee issues, but it would’ve been a big shock to see him miss a crucial Game 2.

Kidd addresses Luka’s status for tonight — 6:35 p.m.

Highlights from Mavericks coach Jason Kidd’s press conference ...

On Luka: “Luka’s questionable so we’ll see how he feels when he warms up and make that decision. I think [he got hurt] taking the charge or diving on the floor for a loose ball.”

On how game plans might change if Doncic can’t play: “Just one game plan. If he’s out, we’re prepared to go without him, next man up. If he’s going, the game plan doesn’t change. We’ve been in this seat, the whole playoffs, hopefully nothing changes.”

On Saturday’s practice: “I thought yesterday was a great day for us on the floor and also watching the game, and I think for our group, [those] who’ve been around, we tend to be loose, and I thought yesterday was perfect example of us getting better and understanding what we have to do tonight.”

On how he expect Kyrie Irving to bounce back after a rough Game 1: “I think when you look at Ky, he’s a vet, he’s been on this stage multiple times, but he’s played the game where he wasn’t effective offensively, or up to his standards, and he will take a look at what he can do better, and again understands what he has to do tonight. Hopefully we get those same shots, we truly believe he’ll knock them down, and that’ll put us in a good position ton win.”

On the difference between playing in the Finals and coaching in the Finals: “I think as a player it’s different. But as a coach, there’s a lot of waiting, when it’s spread out, so you got to be able to pace the information that you’re giving the guys, don’t want to overload them too early, have to understand that with the break in between, the off days or the days you’re not running over to the court, they’re getting stimulated to understand they still have a job to do. That’s as a coach. As a player you’re just trying to figure out how to put yourself fin a better position, whether you just won or you lost, anticipating the adjustments and what a team is going to do to slow you down. Two totally different things. One involves the physical activity, one has you standing or sitting, so definitely different.”

What Joe Mazzulla had to say before the game — 6:20 p.m.

By Amin Touri

The highlights from his pregame press conference ...

On defending in isolation: “First it starts with our transition defense. If we don’t get back and make it 5-on-5, it’s hard to be able to do that. Then the ball pressure and just the individual pride, taking pride of guarding you, and the guys off the ball, being able to do both. It’s just team defense, most important thing.”

How his coaching style suits the team: “I feel like we got a group of guys that want to win, been around along time and want to do it together. When you have a locker room that has ownership, takes it upon themselves to hold each other accountable, you’ve got a chance. The guys want to win, they make that decision, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

On addressing blind spots: “We still do have blind spots. We’re always going to have blind spots. I think it’s just recognizing those and understanding that we can leverage them by using the guy next to us to do better.”

Was Kidd stirring the pot? — 6:00 p.m.

By Adam Himmelsbach

Maybe Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was just giving his honest opinion. Maybe he was trying to create some unease within a Celtics locker room that has mostly coasted through this season without a speed bump.

Whatever the reason, Kidd raised some eyebrows Saturday afternoon, as his team prepared to face the Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, when he made an against-the-grain proclamation about his opponent.

“Well, Jaylen [Brown] is their best player,” Kidd said. “Just looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka [Doncic] full court. He got to the free throw line. He did everything, and that’s what your best player does. Just understanding he plays both sides, defense and offense, at a high rate. And he’s been doing that the whole playoffs. I mean, we talk about the Eastern Conference [finals] MVP, and it seems like he has continued to pick up where he left off.”

Read more.

Kyrie Irving welcoming TD Garden adversity — 5:45 p.m.

By Khari Thompson

Kyrie Irving didn’t have much to say about basketball strategy when asked what adjustments he expects will be made heading into Sunday night’s Game 2.

Instead, he talked about adjusting to the environment at TD Garden. He mentioned that this Mavericks group is playing together in the NBA Finals for the first time.

Although he has a wealth of experience playing both for and againstthe Celtics over his 13-year career, Irving looked rattled at times Thursday, missing several wide-open shots and producing more turnovers (3) than assists (2) while shooting 6 of 19 from the field.

“Going out there, TD Garden, playing against the Boston Celtics, who are having a historic season,” Irving said. “We knew they were going to come out with a lot of verve, a lot of energy. And they have been doing it all year. They have been consistent on their end. I think it’s pretty easy to say we can focus on our end and pay attention to what we can control.

Read more.

Tatum, Brown unfazed by Kidd — 5:30 p.m.

By Gary Washburn

Don’t let his affable, low-key personality, the backward baseball cap, and the whisper-quiet voice fool you. Jason Kidd is a cutthroat competitor. After his Dallas Mavericks were outclassed in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he decided to intensify the series by throwing the first verbal grenade.

In case you didn’t hear it the first time Saturday at TD Garden, Kidd said it twice, just to make his gamesmanship point.

It’s a sly psychological move, especially if it motivates Tatum, who has masterfully played distributor and unleashed his versatility to offset the heavy defensive emphasis, to use Game 2 to show Kidd who is really the man in Boston.

Perhaps a few years ago, this ploy would have worked. Tatum, who has become more tolerant of the criticism, especially during this postseason, wasn’t fazed when informed of Kidd’s comments. It was intended to be divisive, and Tatum reads that. He’s been in the league for seven years. He’s 26 (young to us, but not in NBA years) and he’s heard his share of putdowns, even if they are disguised as compliments.

Read the full column.

Latvia loves the Celtics — 5:15 p.m.

By Katie McInerney

The NBA released some interesting statistics ahead of Game 2 that demonstrate the global impact of the league — and the influence of one very tall Latvian.

The NBA reports that subscriptions to their League Pass streaming package increased by 63 percent year-over-year in Latvia. In addition, Latvians are watching the Celtics five times as much as they were last season, before Boston traded for Kristaps Porzingis.

Because of this increase in international popularity, Jayson Tatum’s No. 0 is now the third best-selling jersey in the world behind Steph Curry and LeBron James.

Slovenia’s Luka Doncic is having a similar effect in his home country.

Of the 20 most-watched games this season on League Pass in Slovenia, 19 of them were Mavericks games. League Pass subscriptions increased by 49 percent in the country year over year.

The Mavericks love lobs. Here’s how the Celtics stopped them. — 5:00 p.m.

By Julian Benbow

The Mavs throw lobs like spaghetti at a wall. The offense leaned heavily on lobs in the regular season. They threw 182 of them, second only to the Utah Jazz (198). In 18 playoff games, they’ve thrown 67. No other playoff team has thrown more than 15.

Dallas’s only lob attempt in Game 1 was a dud. Doncic used a high screen from Lively to draw four defenders toward the paint. He couldn’t quite get Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis to commit, but he still hoisted a pass over him. Lively launched himself in the air, but a bump from Porzingis made sure he didn’t come down with it. Lively got the foul, the Celtics snuffed out the lob.

Read the full story here.

Commentary

Why Celtics fans should thank Kyrie Irving — 4:30 p.m.

It’s fitting that former Celtic Kyrie Irving is the final obstacle Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown need to overcome to lead the Celtics to a long-sought championship.

It’s a full-circle moment for the Celtics and their young stars. It was Irving’s season-ending injury as the Celtics leading man during the 2017-2018 season that opened the door for the rise of The Jays as franchise frontmen.

And fans should be grateful Kyrie was once on the Celtics’ roster. Chris Gasper explains why in his “Write or Wrong?” segment on this week’s episode of Boston Globe Today: Sports.

Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac. Khari Thompson can be reached at khari.thompson@globe.com. Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn. Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach. Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com.