DALLAS — Joe Mazzulla is a big fan of UFC matches and splices highlights of fights into some of the basketball film he shows the Boston Celtics for their video sessions.
“If you’ve ever been in a fight with someone and you think you’re about to beat ’em, you usually get sucker-punched,” said Mazzulla, the second-year Celtics coach. “The closer you are to beating them up, the closer you are to losing.”A pair of big runs — 23-8 in the first half, 20-5 in the second half — represented what became the knockout blows in this game, and maybe this series.
Doncic fouled out with the Mavericks having gotten to 93-90; there was no miracle finish. Boston did enough to hang on, and now a championship could be in its hands as early as Friday night when the teams meet in Game 4.