Luka Doncic vs. Jayson Tatum MVP Battle: Dallas Mavs at Boston Celtics GAMEDAY
After winning big against their I-45 rival Houston Rockets on Friday, the Dallas Mavericks face a much taller task on Sunday as they take on a red-hot Boston Celtics team that has won 14 out of its last 16 games.
Despite hitting a bump in the road against the New York Knicks a few games ago, the Mavs have been hot as well, winning 12 of their last 15 games and posting a 25-8 record since New Year's Eve.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
© Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
© Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from their records, the Mavs and Celtics are very similar teams in that they've been better defensively than offensively this season. The Celtics boast the best defensive rating in the league (105.6) while the Mavs own the sixth-best (107.9). On offense, Boston and Dallas rank just 14th and 16th, respectively.
Although we might not be in for a high-scoring affair, there's still potential for some offensive fireworks to take place between MVP candidates Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Doncic is averaging 28.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game, while Tatum is averaging 26.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Will the sum of the rest of Dallas' non-Luka parts be enough to overcome Boston having another star player in Jaylen Brown?
FUN NOTE: The Celtics will be retiring Kevin Garnett's No. 5 into the TD Garden rafters tonight. Garnett helped Boston win a championship in 2008 as part of a 'Big-3' that included Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. In January, we saw firsthand how the emotions of a jersey retirement can affect a game, as the Mavs blew out the Warriors on Dirk Nowitzki's special night. So Dallas must come into this one with the right mindset to avoid getting ran off the floor.
FLASHBACK: On Nov. 6, the Mavs beat the Celtics 107-104 after Luka Doncic nailed a heavily-contested buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win the game in front of a raucous American Airlines Center crowd.
INJURY REPORT, DALLAS: Jalen Brunson (right thigh contusion) is available; Dorian Finney-Smith (right arm contusion) is available. Marquese Chriss (right knee soreness) is OUT; Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) is OUT; Theo Pinson (right fifth finger fracture) is OUT.
INJURY REPORT, BOSTON: Aaron Nesmith (right ankle sprain) is OUT.
RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (41-26) VS. BOSTON CELTICS (41-27)
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
WHEN: Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. CT
LOCATION: TD Garden (Boston, MA)
TV/RADIO: BSSW, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)
ODDS: The Celtics are 7-point favorites against the Mavs.
NEXT: The Mavs will get a couple of days off before they continue their five-game road-trip against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Nets have won two games in a row despite being just 4-6 in their last 10 games.
LAST WORD: Doncic on the Mavs' goals for the remaining 15 games of the season:
"Just to get at least to the fourth place. That's our goal, to have home[-court] advantage. But other than that, just play basketball."
