Postseason

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Taylor Snow

BOSTON – Jrue Holiday is the only member of this Celtics team who has experienced what it takes to win an NBA championship. And he will do whatever it takes to go through that experience again.

It doesn't matter to him whether it’s scoring, facilitating, rebounding, defending, or a mixture of all the above.

“I'm a utility guy. I'll do whatever,” Holiday said. “I'm here to win. I feel like they brought me here to win, and I'll do my best to do that.”

Those words came to life in Game 2 of the NBA Finals Sunday night when the 15-year veteran did a little bit of everything to help guide Boston to a 105-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Holiday led the team in scoring with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting. He led the game in rebounds with a playoff career-high-tying 11 boards. He handed out three assists. And his fingerprints were all over Boston’s defensive effort of holding Dallas’ high-powered offense to fewer than 100 points for the second straight game to give the C’s a 2-0 lead in the series.

“He was unbelievable,” said teammate Al Horford. “His effort defensively and everything he brings on that end. And then on offense, making reads, making the game easy, making the right decisions. He’s so poised and you can tell that he has been in these types of moments. Just very composed and just out there getting the job done.”

Holiday went through these moments with the Milwaukee Bucks during their 2021 championship run, and it shows.

Derrick White says it’s shown ever since Holiday stepped foot into the gym last fall – in how he carries himself and how he's been willing to sacrifice his role to help the team maximize its potential.

“That experience, that championship DNA, which you hear all about all the time, you don't really know what it takes until you do what it takes,” White said. “Just the moment he came to our team in training camp, he kind of just had that presence about him. He just knows how to win.”

Holiday’s presence has been defined by leading with actions over words.

“I won't say that I do much or I talk much,” he said. “I just go out there and I play as hard as I can and do whatever the team needs for us to win.”

In Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, that translated to a total of 38 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and zero turnovers in 75 minutes of action.

Though when he does talk, everyone listens.

“He's brought championship pedigree to our team,” said Jaylen Brown. “So nothing Jrue says we question. Jrue, he comes in and he just is who he is. He's got that demeanor, that killer-like mentality, and we respect it. He's a great teammate and it's just an honor to play next to him.”

Part of that championship pedigree includes staying grounded no matter what the series score is. After all, he was on a Bucks team that battled back from a 0-2 deficit and went on to win four straight against the Phoenix Suns.

“We know being up 2-0 means nothing,” Holiday said. “Job's not done. We have to do whatever it takes.”

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Jrue's Double-Double Helps C's Double Finals Lead Over Mavs

Marc D'Amico

He blocked the biggest shot of his life Sunday night to ensure that his Boston Celtics would take a 2-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

With less than a minute to go, and just a few short minutes after Boston had led by 14 points, Dallas had a chance to make it a one-possession game in transition after a missed dunk attempt by Jayson Tatum. Kyrie Irving grabbed the rebound at the 3-point arc and immediately took the ball in the other direction toward the middle of the court. Two dribbles later, he found PJ Washington streaking toward rim to his left and he dropped a pass off to the athletic forward.

Washington did not have a Celtics defender between him and the basket when he caught the ball. White, however, was sprinting his way back into the play from the right side of the court and he caught up to Washington at the rim as Washington rose up for a transition dunk. White and Jaylen Brown each leaped into the air in an attempt to deny Washington, and it was White – who logged a career-high 87 blocks this season – who made it happen with another emphatic denial at the rim. The blocked shot landed in Jrue Holiday’s hands with 50.5 seconds left and sent the Celtics faithful into hysteria. Brown went on to make a driving layup at the other end with 29.8 seconds left to seal the victory.

It's truly frightening to think about what could have happened had White not blocked that shot. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on their side, two historically clutch players, Dallas would have been back to within three points and could have pulled off a miracle.

Fortunately, there’s no reason to think about that scenario. That’s because Derrick White blocks shots, and he blocked the biggest one of his life Sunday night.

Q4 :50.5 - [DAL] Washington Running Dunk Shot: Missed Block: White (1 BLK)

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Keys to the Game: Celtics 105, Mavericks 98

BOSTON – On the night Jaylen Brown was drafted, he declared that he was ready to go to war for the city of Boston.

Now, with a championship within striking distance, he's asking the city to rise behind him and his Celtics teammates and to join them in battle.

Brown embraced the energy inside TD Garden and around the city leading up to, during, and after Thursday’s Game 1 win over the Dallas Mavericks. But he wants Celtics Nation to step it up even more for Game 2.

“Sunday, we are going to need our fans to be hyped,” Brown said ahead of Saturday afternoon's practice. “It's not just team versus team. It's crowd versus crowd. It's gas station versus gas station. Supermarket versus supermarket. It's the whole city versus the whole city. We need everybody.”

A thunderous crowd is part of what makes home-court advantage so advantageous, and Boston is capable of bringing the most noise of any city in the league. There were moments Thursday night when the entire arena was shaking, and those are the adrenaline-boosting moments that can help push athletes to another level.

When the 7-foot-3 center checked in for his first Finals action partway through the first quarter, the fans nearly blew a hole in the rafters with their cheers. The vibration from that moment shook off any cobwebs that may have accumulated during KP’s 38-day absence prior. He checked in and rode the crowd’s energy to 11 points in his first six minutes and 20 points in 20 minutes overall.

“It was insane, I'm not going to lie,” he said of the crowd’s response to him returning to action. “Just walking in the tunnel was like a WWE-style walk-in. I didn't even know it was for me at first walking out, hearing that crowd roar and getting real excitement to start the game and giving everything to these fans that came.”

If the fans give energy, the Celtics will give it right back. That's the deal that Brown wants to make with Boston for Sunday’s game.

“I thought the [Game 1] crowd was good,” Brown said. “But I think we can be a little bit better. I expect us to be even louder.”

So if you’re planning to be in attendance on Sunday, make sure to have your war cries ready. Even if you’re at home, at the gas station, or in the supermarket make sure to show your support. That type of fan engagement is what helps to shift the energy for a team, and it's what gives Jaylen Brown his 7uice.

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Brown Calls on Celtics Nation for Game 2: ‘We Need Everybody’

These Boston Celtics don’t let things snowball out of control. These Boston Celtics understand how to regain control.

That’s exactly what they did Thursday night during Game 1 of the NBA Finals, after the Dallas Mavericks had shaved a 29-point deficit all the way down to eight midway through the third quarter. Boston did what it has done all season long, which is to respond in overwhelming fashion, this time with a game-changing 14-0 run.

Yet again, Jaylen Brown was at the center of it all. This has become a regularity this postseason as Brown has asserted himself time and time again when Boston has needed him to do so.

Brown scored or assisted on nine of the 14 points during the run, and he also tallied a hockey assist on three more points that were generated from his drive-and-kick. Brown added in two blocked shots at the other end of the floor to ignite Boston’s relentless defensive performance during the stretch.

When all was said and done, it was the Celtics who had restored order and rebuilt a 22-point advantage during the final minute of the third quarter. Boston didn’t relent from that moment on before closing out a 107-89 victory to take a 1-0 series lead.

Q2 10:07 - [BOS 44-26] Brown Driving Dunk Shot: Made (8 PTS)

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Keys to the Game: Celtics 107, Mavericks 89

BOSTON – Kristaps Porzingis did everything he could over the past five-plus weeks to prepare his body in time for the NBA Finals. On Thursday night, his diligence paid off.

Boston’s 7-foot-3 center stepped back on the court for the first time since straining his calf on April 29 and played as if he’d never left. He opened the Finals by torching the Dallas Mavericks with 20 points in just over 20 minutes of action, leading the Celtics past his former team for a 107-89 Game 1 win.

In the days leading up to his return, Porzingis admitted he had no idea how he’d feel until he put his feet back on the parquet floor. As soon as he walked out to the roaring crowd at TD Garden, his confidence rushed back and he felt at home.

“The adrenaline was just pumping through my veins,” he said. And it carried him to 20-point, six-rebound, three-block performance.

For the first time in more than seven years and just the second time in his career, Porzingis came off the bench. But it didn’t matter to him from either a personal or a performance standpoint whether he was starting or playing in a reserve role.

“In this situation, it made sense,” Porzingis said. “I didn't care. I knew I could prepare to come off the bench, which is something different for me, and that's what I did and stepped into that role and embraced it and had a good game.”

Porzingis subbed in for Al Horford at the 7:17 mark of the first quarter and proceeded to go off. Throughout the remainder of the frame, he logged 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, three rebounds, and two blocks.

“He was just making play after play,” Jaylen Brown recalled of Porzingis’ initial stretch. “It was just like, ‘Alright, he's back.’ There was no question about it.”

KP finished the half with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in just under 13 minutes of action, leading Boston into the break with a 63-42 lead. Jayson Tatum noted after the game how that half showcased how impressive Boston can be when it’s fully healthy.

“We're a good team when guys are down, but we're really, really special when we have everybody,” Tatum said. “How seamless his transition was after being away for six weeks, and coming into the game and having a first half like that, that was a big spark for us to start the game.”

As much as Dallas’ defenders got in his face, they just couldn’t stop KP from putting the ball in the basket. He finished the game 8-of-13 from the field, 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.

“He's a matchup nightmare,” said Derrick White. “Even when you play good defense, he doesn't really see you. It's been unreal just watching him all year. Then defensively, he uses his size well, just impacts the games in so many different ways. He changes us and he makes us a better team.”

Porzingis’ presence opened the floor for the whole team. All six Celtics who topped 20 minutes scored in double digits, led by Jaylen Brown’s 22-point effort.

“He was great on both ends of the floor, defensive execution, game plan, playing for a spot in the offensive end, being physical, and making plays on both ends of the floor,” said coach Joe Mazzulla. “He played great and that's the KP that helped us get to where we are today.”

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Porzingis Returns to Finals with a Bang, Leads C’s to Game 1 Win

Boston Celtics

BOSTON -- A pair of stars will need no introduction when the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks meet for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

Dallas guard Kyrie Irving and Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis find themselves pitted against their former teams, with Irving's breakup with the Celtics getting much messier than Porzingis' departure from the Mavericks.

Irving spent two seasons in Boston and told fans that he planned on re-signing with the Celtics following the 2018-19 campaign.

That didn't happen, though, and Irving broke for the Brooklyn Nets once the summer rolled around. He has been met with boos when playing in Boston ever since while posting an 0-10 record overall in his past 10 games against the Celtics.

But a hostile environment is the last thing Irving is worried about on the NBA's biggest stage.

"There's no fear out here, man. It's basketball," Irving said. "The fans are going to say what they're going to say. I appreciate them and their relationship they have to the game. But it's about the players at the end of the day."

Dallas moved on from Porzingis at the 2022 trade deadline, shipping him to the Washington Wizards after deciding that he wasn't the right piece to pair with star guard Luka Doncic.

"I don't know why it didn't work out," Doncic said. "We were still both young. We tried to make it work, but it just didn't work."

History aside, both Irving and Porzingis are primarily concerned with helping their current teams lock up a championship for the first time in over a decade. The Mavericks' last title came in 2011, while Boston hasn't gone all the way since 2008.

The Celtics had a golden opportunity to secure their 18th title in franchise history just two years ago, but they fell 4-2 to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals. Looking back on it now, Boston star Jayson Tatum thinks there was a silver lining in coming up short.

"It was a lesson to be learned," Tatum said. "I told myself that if I ever got the opportunity again to make it to the Finals, that (I'd) never take it for granted. Obviously, we're here now and thankful to be here.

"I'm excited to get ready to play and have fun (Thursday)."

Dallas, on the other hand, will be appearing in the Finals for the first time since its title run 13 years ago. Irving, Markieff Morris and Derrick Jones Jr. are the only Mavericks with experience in this stage of the postseason.

"Some of us for the Mavs have been here, some of us haven't," said Dallas coach Jason Kidd, who was the starting point guard on the Mavericks' 2011 championship team. "We're going to embrace that and find a way to hopefully win a series."

Beating the Celtics could get a lot harder depending on the health of Porzingis, who has missed the past 10 games due to a right soleus (calf) strain. Porzingis will be good to go for Game 1, but he's unsure if he will be operating at 100 percent.

"I did as much as I could to prepare for this moment, but there's nothing like game minutes and game experience that I'm going to get (Thursday)," Porzingis said. "It will be tough to jump into the Finals like this."

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6/6 Game 1 Preview: Mavericks at Celtics

BOSTON – Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s first trip to the NBA Finals ended in heartbreak – a heartbreak that has been fueling them and serving as their motivation for the past two years.

Now that their opportunity for redemption has arrived, they’re ready to seize the moment.

On the eve of Game 1, Brown and Tatum spoke on their journey back to the NBA's biggest stage, reflecting on how their first Finals experience against the Golden State Warriors in 2022 helped to shape their mindset going into this series against the Dallas Mavericks.

“I think we understood what it took to get there,” Tatum said Wednesday afternoon, looking back on Boston's 2022 run. “And [Golden State] understood what it took to get over the hump … It was a lesson to be learned. I told myself that if I ever got the opportunity again to make it to the Finals, never take it for granted. Obviously, we're here now and I’m thankful to be here. I'm excited to get ready to play and have fun tomorrow.”

Brown says he’s rewatched that Finals series four or five times. As painful as it is to relive, it's a small price to pay if it can help provide intel on getting over the hump this time.

“I think you can always learn from anything really,” Brown said. “But just being able to watch those moments and learn from them, how to manage your emotions, like, what you would have done differently, potentially. I don't think that's bad to look at and acknowledge and be aware of.”

Brown and Tatum also both acknowledged how much of an impact this series can have on their own personal legacies as well as that of the team.

“If you want to be one of the greats to put on this uniform, every great before you won a championship,” Tatum said. “That's what we try to play for every single season. The expectations are obviously different here. It takes special players to be here and to be a part of an environment like that.”

“Special” is exactly how Brown described this group. He noted how several members of this core have been through so much together, coming up just short of their goal on several occasions. Going through such adversity has helped to shape who they are and how driven they’ve become.

“I think this is a special group, I really do,” Brown said. “The core group of it has been here for a few years now. We've been able to go through the experiences of having success but not having success at the same time. I think to solidify it, the ultimate goal is to get over the hump and win. I think that will add a lot to our legacy. But as of right now, that story is still untold.”

As important as it is to stay in the present of this story, it can still be beneficial to flip back to past chapters to provide insight into how to approach the journey ahead. Doing so can provide the knowledge to pen a happy ending.

“I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason,” said Tatum. “There's a lesson to be learned in every situation. I do feel a lot different this time, this go-around, two years later. I'm excited for the opportunity for us to get the job done.”

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Brown, Tatum 'Feel a Lot Different' Heading into 2nd NBA Finals

BOSTON – When the Celtics take the court for Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night, Kristaps Porzingis plans to be standing center court, taking the opening tip against his former Mavericks team.

After going through five weeks of rehab on his right calf, Boston’s starting center is finally about ready to make his return.

“I’ve done a lot of work up until this point, done everything needed to get back into playing shape,” Porzingis told reporters following Tuesday morning’s practice. “It's a couple more days (until Game 1), and I think that could&nbsp;make a difference. Every day gives me a bit more time to get even better.”

Porzingis strained the calf during Boston’s April 29, Game 4 win over the Miami Heat in the first round and missed the entire second and third rounds against Cleveland and Indiana, respectively. It's been a frustrating stretch for the 7-foot-3 Latvian, considering he was missing out on exactly what he had been anticipating all season: Celtics playoff basketball.

“It's been a long process, I'm not going to lie,” Porzingis said. “It's been tough to sit out, obviously. But I tried to stay as engaged as I can with the team and be around the team and do my work and be with the team. It really, really did suck, but we're here now and I'm feeling much better. Put in a lot of hours to get to this point and I look forward to getting some action on the court."

Porzingis has been ramping up his activity on the practice court over the past week. He’s been running through drills, participating in scrimmages, and has gone through just about everything that his teammates have gone through over the past few days.

Even though he hasn’t seen live-game action in more than a month, he’s optimistic that he’ll get back to feeling himself in no time.

“I have to feel confident,” he said. “I don't want to go out there and be thinking about something. Once I'm out there, it has to be full focus on trying to play the best basketball I can and help this team win. Obviously it's not ideal that I haven't had any real minutes (since April), but I roll with the punches and it is what it is. I just try to be the best I can be with the given circumstances.”

Joe Mazzulla isn’t concerned about the ramping-up process either.

“He’s been playing basketball for like 30 years,” said the head coach. “He’s been playing intense situations his whole life, so I don’t think that will be much of an issue. Obviously you can’t simulate the speed and the intensity of the game, which I think just comes with a little bit of reps, but KP is a great player. I think just because you’ve been out for a month doesn’t mean you have to relearn how to play basketball. He’s been doing a lot of great things for us this season on both ends of the floor with physicality, with intensity. And I expect him to pick up right where he left off. There will be a little bit of rust; just not concerned because of the work that he’s put in and what he’s done in his career and what he’s done in this season for us.”

Porzingis will be stepping straight into a high-pressure situation unlike anything he’s experienced in his life, but he’s excited. This is what he came to Boston for, and he’s ready for it.

"It's incredible – just the energy like, everybody's buzzing,” Porzingis said. “It's going to be exciting. Even just seeing the amount of people now, it shows the magnitude of this and what's on the line. As a team, as an organization, we're going into this series with full confidence, knowing that no steps were skipped. The goal is to finish the job."