For the second game in a row, the Boston Celtics held off a frantic Dallas Mavericks comeback in the fourth quarter and held on to win Game 3 of the NBA Finals, 106-99. It was Boston's 10th straight playoff win and its seventh straight win on the road, where it hasn't lost yet in the playoffs. Now the Celtics are one way away from an NBA title.
Here are three turning points from Wednesday's NBA Finals thriller.
1. Luka Doncic fouls out
With under five minutes to play, the Mavericks had cut a 21-point Celtics lead to just three points, with stifling defense sparking a 20-2 run. Luka Doncic's shot wasn't falling, going 1-of-5, but he had three assists and pushed the pace for the Mavericks.
But halfway through the quarter, Doncic started to show frustration. He thought he was fouled on one layup attempt, and with 5:25 remaining, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called a timeout to calm his team, and Doncic down. Generally, the coach who is on a 20-2 run isn't the one who calls timeout. It didn't calm Doncic down.
Doncic committed fouls on Jaylen Brown on Boston's first two possessions out of the timeout, his third and fourth fouls of the quarter. Kidd challenged the last one to try to keep his star in the game, but it failed, which also prevented him from challenging a much more questionable offensive foul on P.J. Washington a minute later.
After the game, Doncic blamed the officials, but he put himself in that position by playing recklessly. Ultimately, by fouling out with four minutes to go, he doomed the Mavericks' chances to complete their epic comeback.
Doncic: I don't want to say nothing, but six fouls in the NBA Finals?" Then he held out his hands, palms up. "I'm like this? Come on, man. (Be) better than that."
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) June 13, 2024
2. Jaylen Brown's closes the third quarter with a poster
The Celtics took control of Game 3 with a 35-point third quarter , led by Jason Kidd's favorite Celtic. The last of Brown's 15 points in the quarter was an emphatic dunk, easily driving past what was supposed to be a double team from Kyrie Irving and Doncic.
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2024JAYLEN BROWN. MONSTER SLAM.
He finished the 3Q with 15 PTS!
Celtics looking to go up 3-0 headed to the 4th on ABC pic.twitter.com/qBuzzhPkpR
Brown shot 6-of-9 in the quarter, gave out three assists and made both his free throws. Six of his points were part of a 14-5 run to close the quarter, which gave Boston a 15-point lead. Then he made a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter, as Irving had his back turned, perhaps still shell-shocked from the dunk.
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2024JT drive-and-kick.
JB corner pocket 3.Celtics seek a 3-0 lead on ABC!#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/4gFKWAdWwv
It's the second time the Celtics closed a quarter with a 5-0 run capped with a dunk. Jayson Tatum did that to end the first quarter as well.
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2024JT drive-and-kick.
JB corner pocket 3.Celtics seek a 3-0 lead on ABC!#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/4gFKWAdWwv
In 70 seconds to close the first and third quarters, Boston outscored Dallas 10-0. In a game that ended with a seven-point margin, the Celtics' ability to close quarters may have been the key difference in Game 3.
3. Sam Hauser enters the game in the first quarter
Sam Hauser wasn't even drafted coming out of college in 2021. But on Wednesday night, Hauser had a huge impact off the bench in an NBA Finals game.
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) June 13, 2024Shout-out to Sam Hauser ☘️
9 points, 3-4 on threes, 3 rebounds and really solid defense. Team-high +16 in 14 minutes off the bench in Game 3 win: pic.twitter.com/Fxvshdeh8m
Boston's bench was lacking the defense and shooting of Kristaps Porzingis, out with a leg injury. Hauser can't replace KP's size, but he went 3-of-4 from three-point range while playing solid defense for the Celtics. That's why he was a team-high +16, making his biggest offensive impact in the first quarter. His defense in the third quarter was also valuable, as he confidently guarded all five Mavericks on one possession.
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) June 13, 2024Sam Hauser guarding all five Mavs
-Starts on Josh Green
-Switches onto THJ, Kyrie, Gafford
-Contests Kleber's shot pic.twitter.com/Hx2nl6YU3D
Before Hauser came in, Dallas had dominated, leading 25-14. Boston was 2-of-9 from three-point range, the second straight game they couldn't find the range early. Then Hauser came in and grabbed a rebound, found Brown for a basket and calmly knocked down two threes.
SAM HAUSER NO HESITATION pic.twitter.com/XkdSUGWZNf
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 13, 2024
Hauser had three threes in Game 3. The Mavericks bench has four threes in the entire series (Hauser is 5-of-11 from deep in the Finals). As good as Tatum and Brown were in Game 3, it really killed Dallas to have no answer for Hauser among its own reserves.
