NBA Finals, Game 2: How the Celtics beat the Mavericks again, lead series 2-0

The Dallas Mavericks (50-32) and Boston Celtics (64-18)will square off in game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. The Mavs will be looking to rebound after losing 107-89 in the series opener.

What time does Sunday’s game begin?

Game 2 tips off at 7:00 p.m. at TD Garden and will be broadcast on ABC and can be streamed on ESPN’s website and app.

Ex-Dallas Mavs forward Kristaps Porziņģis returned from a multi-game absence after suffering a strained left calf injury. The Latvian native scored 20 points with six rebounds and three blocks in the game 1 victory, single-handily outscoring the Mavs bench 20-6.

Return here once the game begins for scoring updates, highlights and more.

First Quarter

Luka Doncic scored the game’s first basket off a turn-around mid-range bucket. Mavs lead 2-0 with 10:59 remaining.

The Mavs made five of their seven shots from the field to take an early lead heading to the game’s first timeout. Mavs lead 13-6 with 8:18 left in the quarter.

Doncic has gotten off to a hot start in the quarter leading all scorers with 13 points despite strong defense from the Celtics. Mavs lead 22-16 with 2:35 remaining.

Josh Green catches the Celtics off guard and draws a three-point foul and makes two of the three shots to help the Mavs enlarge their lead at the end of the quarter. The Mavs have struggled from the free throw line early only hitting 4-of-9 first-quarter free throws. Mavs lead 28-25 at the end of the quarter.

Second Quarter

Doncic hit his first two shots of the quarter and is up to 20 points in the first half and has made 8-of-12 shots from the field. Mavs lead 35-31 with 8:50 remaining.

Boston has only made two of their first 12 shots from three-point range but Derrick White’s first three-pointer of the game gave the Celtics the lead. Celtics lead 36-35 with 7:00 remaining.

Derrick Jones Jr made back-to-back baskets, including one off a sensational behind-the-back pass from Doncic. The game is tied at 42 with 3:56 left in the quarter.

Kyrie Irving and Doncic have accounted for 33 of the Mavs 51 first-half points with Doncic being the game’s leading scorer with 23 points. Despite the pair’s hot scoring start the Mavs still trail at halftime. Celtics lead 54-51 at halftime.

Halftime stat check

Luka Doncic had 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting with three rebounds and assists. Kyrie Irving was the only other Mavs in double figures with 10 points of 5-of-10 shooting with two assists.

Jrue Holiday was the Celtics’ leading scorer, with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, four rebounds and one assist. Jaylen Brown has eight points on 3-of-5 shooting with four assists and an outsized impact on the defensive end.

Third Quarter

Jayson Tatum has nine assists to lead the Celtics and despite his poor shooting effort (11 points on 4-of-13 shooting), the Celtics offense is thriving. Celtics lead 69-63 with 4:56 left.

The Celtics have used defense to set up easy buckets in transition and strong defense by Tatum forces a Doncic turnover and results in an easy bucket. Celtics lead 75-63 with 3:00 remaining.

Payton Pritchard hit a deep three at the end of the quarter to extend the Celtics lead to nine points. Celtics lead 83-74 at the end of the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Tatum’s first three of the game extended Boston’s lead to double digits as the Celtics maintained control. Celtics lead 88-78 with 9:17 remaining.

Irving’s layup brought the Mavs to within ten points as the team tries to make a fourth-quarter comeback in game 2. Celtics lead 90-83 with 8:06 left in the game.

Irving found Daniel Gafford for an all-oop for his 13th point forcing a Celtics timeout. Celtics lead 97-89 with 4:40 left

Back-to-back three from Jrue Holiday and Derrick White have given the Celtics a double-digit lead in the game’s waning minutes. Celtics lead 103-89 with 2:56 left.