DALLAS -- — Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, Derrick White added 23, including Boston’s first 11 of the third quarter, and the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-107 on Saturday night in the first meeting between the teams since the NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown added 22 points as the defending champions bounced back from a 21-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, their most lopsided defeat this season.

The Celtics shrugged off an early 16-6 deficit and led by as many as 25 points in the third period. White scored 16 in the period.

Kyrie Irving scored 22 points, Quentin Grimes added 20 off the bench and Daniel Gafford had 19 points and matched a season high with 15 rebounds for the Mavericks, who are 5-11 since superstar Luka Doncic was sidelined with a calf strain on Christmas Day,

The teams will complete their two-game season series Feb. 6 at Boston.

Takeaways

Celtics: Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points in his first game back in Dallas following the Feb. 10, 2022, trade that sent him from the Mavericks to Washington. Porzingis sat out his four previous visits, including Games 3 and 4 of last year’s finals, with injuries.

Mavericks: Down to two centers, backup Maxi Kleber fractured his right foot and left the game late in the third quarter. Kleber will be re-evaluated next week.

Key moment

With Dallas trailing by 21 points in the final minute of the third quarter, the home fans had to fend off the first of multiple “Let’s go Celtics! Let's go Celtics!" chants.

Key stat

The Celtics, NBA leaders in 3-pointers made (17.8) and attempted (48.9) per game, went 2 of 8 in the first period but finished 20 of 52.

Up next

Both teams will be home Monday, the Celtics against Houston and the Mavericks vs. Washington.

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Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Kristaps Porzingis vs. Daniel Gafford (Derrick White gains possession)	0	0
11:43	Jrue Holiday misses two point shot	0	0
11:41	Spencer Dinwiddie defensive rebound	0	0
11:33	Spencer Dinwiddie makes 25-foot three pointer	3	0
11:21	Kristaps Porzingis misses 6-foot jump bank shot	3	0
11:19	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	3	0
11:02	Kyrie Irving makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot	5	0
10:52	Jaylen Brown misses 24-foot three point jumper	5	0
10:49	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	5	0
10:44	Kyrie Irving misses running pullup jump shot	5	0
10:41	Jaylen Brown defensive rebound	5	0
10:35	Daniel Gafford shooting foul	5	0
10:35	Kristaps Porzingis makes free throw 1 of 2	5	1
10:35	Kristaps Porzingis makes free throw 2 of 2	5	2
10:22	Derrick White shooting foul	5	2
10:22	P.J. Washington misses free throw 1 of 2	5	2
10:22	Mavericks offensive team rebound	5	2
10:22	P.J. Washington makes free throw 2 of 2	6	2
10:04	Jrue Holiday makes two point shot	6	4
9:54	Spencer Dinwiddie makes 2-foot two point shot	8	4
9:42	Jrue Holiday misses 25-foot three point jumper	8	4
9:40	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	8	4
9:33	P.J. Washington misses two point shot	8	4
9:33	Daniel Gafford offensive rebound	8	4
9:29	Daniel Gafford makes two point shot	10	4
9:21	Derrick White misses 26-foot three point jumper	10	4
9:18	P.J. Washington defensive rebound	10	4
9:11	Derrick White shooting foul	10	4
9:11	P.J. Washington misses free throw 1 of 2	10	4
9:11	Mavericks offensive team rebound	10	4
9:11	P.J. Washington makes free throw 2 of 2	11	4
8:51	Daniel Gafford blocks Jrue Holiday 's 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	11	4
8:51	Kyrie Irving defensive rebound	11	4
8:41	P.J. Washington misses two point shot	11	4
8:41	P.J. Washington offensive rebound	11	4
8:33	Kyrie Irving makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Daniel Gafford assists)	13	4
8:14	Jayson Tatum makes 15-foot two point shot	13	6
8:01	P.J. Washington makes driving layup (Spencer Dinwiddie assists)	15	6
8:01	Jaylen Brown shooting foul	15	6
8:01	Maxi Kleber enters the game for Daniel Gafford	15	6
8:01	P.J. Washington makes free throw 1 of 1	16	6
7:48	Jayson Tatum makes 7-foot two point shot	16	8
7:36	Kyrie Irving bad pass (Jayson Tatum steals)	16	8
7:33	Maxi Kleber blocks Jayson Tatum 's 1-foot two point shot	16	8
7:30	Mavericks defensive team rebound	16	8
7:12	P.J. Washington lost ball turnover (Jrue Holiday steals)	16	8
7:03	Jaylen Brown makes 19-foot pullup jump shot (Jrue Holiday assists)	16	10
6:41	Klay Thompson makes 26-foot three pointer (Maxi Kleber assists)	19	10
6:28	Kyrie Irving shooting foul	19	10
6:28	Mavericks Full timeout	19	10
6:28	(06:28) [Celtics] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL REPLAYCENTER)	19	10
6:28	Quentin Grimes enters the game for Spencer Dinwiddie	19	10
6:28	Al Horford enters the game for Jayson Tatum	19	10
6:28	Payton Pritchard enters the game for Derrick White	19	10
6:28	Jaylen Brown makes free throw 1 of 2	19	11
6:28	Jaylen Brown misses free throw 2 of 2	19	11
6:26	Klay Thompson defensive rebound	19	11
6:12	Maxi Kleber misses 26-foot three point jumper	19	11
6:09	Al Horford defensive rebound	19	11
6:03	Kristaps Porzingis makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jaylen Brown assists)	19	14
5:51	P.J. Washington misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	19	14
5:48	Jaylen Brown defensive rebound	19	14
5:34	Jaylen Brown makes 17-foot step back jumpshot	19	16
5:12	Kristaps Porzingis personal foul	19	16
5:12	Jaden Hardy enters the game for Klay Thompson	19	16
5:02	Kristaps Porzingis personal foul	19	16
5:02	Maxi Kleber makes free throw 1 of 2	20	16
5:02	Maxi Kleber misses free throw 2 of 2	20	16
5:00	Jaylen Brown defensive rebound	20	16
4:47	Jaylen Brown misses 24-foot three point jumper	20	16
4:44	Jrue Holiday offensive rebound	20	16
4:41	Jaden Hardy personal foul	20	16
4:41	Sam Hauser enters the game for Kristaps Porzingis	20	16
4:41	Daniel Gafford enters the game for Maxi Kleber	20	16
4:28	Jaylen Brown misses 6-foot two point shot	20	16
4:26	Kyrie Irving defensive rebound	20	16
4:23	Daniel Gafford makes two point shot (Jaden Hardy assists)	22	16
4:11	Jaylen Brown makes 7-foot two point shot (Payton Pritchard assists)	22	18
4:11	Quentin Grimes shooting foul	22	18
4:11	Kessler Edwards enters the game for P.J. Washington	22	18
4:11	Jaylen Brown misses free throw 1 of 1	22	18
4:09	Kyrie Irving defensive rebound	22	18
3:54	Jaden Hardy makes 15-foot two point shot	24	18
3:52	Celtics Full timeout	24	18
3:52	Luke Kornet enters the game for Jrue Holiday	24	18
3:52	Jayson Tatum enters the game for Jaylen Brown	24	18
3:40	Luke Kornet makes layup (Jayson Tatum assists)	24	20
3:16	Kyrie Irving misses driving floating jump shot	24	20
3:14	Luke Kornet defensive rebound	24	20
2:57	Al Horford makes 7-foot two point shot (Sam Hauser assists)	24	22
2:32	Jaden Hardy misses two point shot	24	22
2:31	Mavericks offensive team rebound	24	22
2:31	shot clock turnover	24	22
2:17	Jayson Tatum makes 26-foot three pointer	24	25
2:00	Kyrie Irving makes 13-foot two point shot	26	25
1:35	Luke Kornet misses 10-foot two point shot	26	25
1:32	Kessler Edwards defensive rebound	26	25
1:29	Jayson Tatum personal foul	26	25
1:29	Jaden Hardy makes free throw 1 of 2	27	25
1:29	P.J. Washington enters the game for Kessler Edwards	27	25
1:29	Jaden Hardy misses free throw 2 of 2	27	25
1:27	Luke Kornet defensive rebound	27	25
1:18	Jayson Tatum misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	27	25
1:16	Mavericks defensive team rebound	27	25
1:16	Spencer Dinwiddie enters the game for Jaden Hardy	27	25
1:16	Jrue Holiday enters the game for Luke Kornet	27	25
58.1	Quentin Grimes misses two point shot	27	25
56.0	Al Horford defensive rebound	27	25
47.1	Mavericks Coach's Challenge	27	25
47.1	(00:47.5) [Mavericks] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Mavericks] retain their timeout	27	25
47.1	Al Horford vs. Daniel Gafford (Quentin Grimes gains possession)	27	25
47.1	Daniel Gafford blocks Jayson Tatum 's 2-foot driving dunk	27	25
47.1	Mavericks defensive team rebound	27	25
34.1	Spencer Dinwiddie misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	27	25
31.0	Jrue Holiday defensive rebound	27	25
11.1	Sam Hauser misses 28-foot three point jumper	27	25
8.1	Daniel Gafford defensive rebound	27	25
2.1	Daniel Gafford makes 3-foot layup (Quentin Grimes assists)	29	25
0.1	Payton Pritchard misses 49-foot three point jumper	29	25
0.1	Celtics offensive team rebound	29	25
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	29	25

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

American Airlines Center

Dallas, TX

Date & Time

10:30 PM, January 25, 2025

Coverage

ABC, ESPN+, ERADM

Attendance

20,421

Referees

Scott Foster, Andy Nagy, Simone Jelks

2025-26 Atlantic Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Boston	39	20	.661	W1
New York	38	22	.633	W1
Toronto	35	25	.583	W1
Philadelphia	33	26	.559	W3
Brooklyn	15	44	.254	L7

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

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Tatum, White help Celtics pull away to beat Mavericks 122-107 in first meeting since NBA Finals

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