Celtics Edge Mavericks in High-Octane Shootout at American Airlines Center
The Dallas Mavericks, with a 24-19 record, hosted the Boston Celtics, who came into the game with a 34-10 record. The final score read 119-110 in favor of the visitors.
In a closely contested matchup at the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Mavericks fell short against a resilient Boston Celtics team. Despite leading for just over ten minutes and achieving their largest lead of seven points, the Mavericks could not maintain their momentum against the Celtics' offensive onslaught.
The home team showcased an impressive offensive performance with 50 points in paint out of their total score. They also capitalized on fast break opportunities scoring 18 fast break points from their attempts. The bench contributed significantly to this effort by adding 29 points to the scoreboard.
Dallas's shooting accuracy was notable from both inside and outside the arc. They made 43 field goals out of 97 attempts resulting in a solid field goal percentage of 44 percent while converting on fourteen three-pointers at a rate of thirty-five percent. Their free throw performance was modest as they made ten out of fourteen attempts which is seventy-one percent successful.
On defense, however, they struggled to contain Boston's offense which managed to put up an efficiency rating higher than that achieved by Dallas. The Mavericks recorded four blocks and four steals throughout the game but were unable to prevent Boston from scoring heavily across all quarters.
Boston's balanced attack saw them leading for thirty-five minutes and twenty seconds with their biggest lead stretching up to sixteen points. They were particularly effective from two-point range where they hit sixty-two percent of their shots contributing significantly towards their victory margin.
The Celtics also demonstrated strong defensive capabilities by accumulating eight blocks and seven steals while drawing twenty fouls which allowed them frequent trips to the free throw line where they converted seventy-three percent of those opportunities into points.
Looking ahead, fans can catch The Dallas Mavericks back in action at American Airlines Center on January 24th when they face off against Phoenix Suns at 7:30 PM Central Time. This upcoming game will be broadcasted nationally on ABC as well as locally on BSSW channel number six hundred seventy-six and AZFamily for away fans wishing to follow along.