**Celtics Defeat Mavericks 105-98, Take 2-0 Lead in NBA Finals as Series Moves to Dallas**

 Luka Doncic achieved the first triple-double in Dallas franchise history during the NBA Finals, but it wasn't enough to prevent Boston from moving closer to their unprecedented 18th championship.

Jayson Tatum (#0) of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Luka Doncic (#77) of the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter of Game Two in the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on Sunday in Boston, Massachusetts.

**BOSTON** — Jrue Holiday provided scoring, Derrick White added a chase-down block, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown contributed with their passing and defense.

The Mavericks can stop worrying about who Boston’s best player is. Every Celtic on the court is helping them close in on an unprecedented 18th NBA championship.

Holiday scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while White sprinted down the court to block Dallas’ last chance to make it a one-possession game, as Boston beat the Mavericks 105-98 on Sunday night to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

“I’m really tired of hearing about one guy or this guy or that guy and everybody trying to make it out to be anything other than Celtic basketball,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Everybody that stepped on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the floor.”

Tatum compensated for a rough shooting night with 12 assists, nine rebounds, and 18 points. Brown scored 21 points with three steals, White added 18 points and three steals, and Peyton Pritchard’s only basket of the game was a half-court shot to beat the third quarter buzzer, giving Boston an 83-74 lead.

“That’s why they are the No. 1 team in the NBA with the No. 1 record,” said Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who recorded 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists — the first NBA Finals triple-double in Dallas franchise history. “They have a lot of great players. Basically, anybody can get off.”

Doncic, who was listed as questionable to play less than two hours before the game, achieved his 10th career playoff triple-double. But he scored only three points in the fourth quarter, including a three-point play with 1:15 left as Dallas scored nine in a row to cut a 14-point deficit to 103-98.

After Derrick Jones Jr. blocked Tatum’s dunk attempt, White ran down the court to block — along with Brown — P.J. Washington’s potential dunk. Brown made a layup at the other end, and then Doncic missed a one-footed, running floater from three-point range with 28 seconds left, ending Dallas’ last chance at a comeback.

“He was great,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Luka is a special player — if not the best player in the world — and he causes a problem. ... He’s able to create open opportunities and we just didn’t take advantage of them.”

Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Wednesday and Friday in Dallas. Boston has not lost on the road this postseason, but the Mavericks need to snap that streak to avoid a sweep and force a return to Boston Garden, where fans are already making space in the rafters for another banner.

The Celtics have now won the opening pair in the NBA Finals for the ninth time in their history. They have never lost a series after doing so and have never been forced to a Game 7 in any of those instances.

A day after Mavericks coach Jason Kidd tried to sow dissension in the Celtics locker room by calling Jaylen Brown — not Jayson Tatum, an All-NBA first-teamer — the team’s best player, Boston demonstrated why it doesn’t matter.

Kristaps Porzingis, despite limping, contributed 12 points for top-seeded Boston. Tatum had a rough night, shooting 6 for 22 and hitting only 1 of 7 from 3-point range. The Celtics as a team were 10 for 39 from beyond the arc.

Kyrie Irving, who has drawn the animosity of local fans since leaving Boston in 2019, scored 16 points but has now lost 12 games in a row against the Celtics.

Unlike their dominant 107-89 victory in Game 1, when Boston went 7 for 15 from 3-point range in the first quarter to build a 17-point lead, the Celtics missed their first eight attempts from long range on Sunday, allowing Dallas to lead the entire first quarter.

Tatum was scoreless in the first quarter and had only five points at halftime, still 0 for 3 from 3-point range. Boston was just 5 for 30 from long distance when Peyton Pritchard banked in a half-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer, giving Boston an 83-74 lead.

The crowd, which had spent most of the game booing and chanting at Irving, erupted with excitement. Irving acknowledged the taunting by shaking his head.