Muted impact in Finals Through two Finals games, Lively has totaled just four points, 12 rebounds, one assist and one steal with no blocks and four turnovers. Dallas has tried more Maxi Kleber minutes to combat the Celtics' floor spacing, but the results have been less than stellar. Game 3 will be on the Mavericks' home floor, where Lively is averaging 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in the postseason.
Decent outing in Game 2 win Horford only scored five points -- his fewest since Game 3 against the Cavaliers -- but it was enough to get the job done against the Mavericks. Though his scoring can be inconsistent, the veteran has grabbed at least five rebounds in nine straight games and recorded at least one defensive stat in eight straight games. Now he and the Celtics go on the road for Game 3, with Horford averaging 9.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in road postseason games this season.
Gets offense going inside arc Despite going 1-for-5 from three, Washington put together an efficient performance, playing physical in the paint. His 17 points were his most since May 13, which was Game 4 against the Thunder. Now, for a critical Game 3, Dallas goes home, where Washington is averaging 14.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in the postseason.
Solid in Game 2 Jones improved on his five-point performance from Game 1, but he struggled from distance. He also didn't offer much defensive resistance despite managing a block and a steal. The forward will look to improve again in Game 3 at home, where he's averaged 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks in the postseason.
Goes for 26-point double-double Jayson Tatum had a rough showing from the field, so Holiday stepped up offensively and led the Celtics in scoring while also recording solid contributions in other categories, most notably grabbing a playoff-high mark in rebounds. Holiday has surpassed the 20-point mark in just two of his last six playoff appearances, but he compensates for that lack of scoring production with solid contributions in other categories and elite defense.
Stuffs stat sheet in Game 2 victory Brown struggled a bit with his shot from three-point range, but other than that, he delivered his usual stat-filling performance while also operating as one of Boston's go-to players on offense. Brown has been on a tear of late, scoring 20-plus points in six straight playoff appearances while also contributing on the defensive end. Over that six-game stretch, Brown is averaging 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.
Sniffs triple-double in Game 2 win Tatum struggled massively from the field and needed 22 shots to score 18 points, but he compensated for the lack of efficiency with an elite showing on both ends of the court. He ended just one rebound shy of a triple-double, and he also became the third player in Celtics' history to record at least 18 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists in a Finals game, joining two franchise legends such as Larry Bird and Bob Cousy. His subpar shooting percentages might be hurting fantasy managers a bit, but that won't matter much if he continues to put up these elite all-around numbers throughout the rest of the series.
Makes clutch block in Game 2 win White will grab most of the headlines following this Game 2 win thanks to a game-saving block in the dying stages of the fourth quarter when the Mavericks were inching closer to mounting a comeback, and he also made some clutch buckets in the second half every time Dallas threatened with reducing the Celtics' lead. White will never carry the Celtics on offense, but the little things he does on both ends of the court are essential for the Celtics to be two games away from winning the NBA title. White's versatility and excellent three-point stroke make him a strong fantasy play across all formats.
Close to double-double in loss Gafford was efficient from the field and finished just one rebound shy of a double-double, although he had problems dealing with Kristaps Pirzingis once again. The fact that the Celtics' big men can play on the perimeter has limited Gafford's influence on the defensive end. Gafford has now finished two rebounds or fewer shy of a double-double in three of his last four playoff appearances.
Scores 16 points Sunday Irving improved in his shooting percentages and his overall stat line compared to the series opener, but the result was the same, and now the Mavericks are down by two games in the NBA Finals. Irving has had a rough time dealing with the suffocating defense, as Boston has alternated between Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White against Irving, and those mismatches have limited his efficiency. Irving has now failed to reach the 20-point mark in three of his last four playoff appearances, and he'll aim to bounce back in Game 3 on Wednesday.
Triple-doubles in Game 2 loss Doncic recorded his third triple-double across his last six playoff appearances. Still, the star guard wasn't comfortable all game long, as he was seen arguing with officials and not happy about a few calls against him. Despite the team's overall struggles and the fact the Mavericks are now 0-2 in the series, Doncic remains a dominant player in all fantasy formats. While he's bound to land on the injury report before Game 3 on Wednesday, he's not expected to miss a game, especially with the Mavs being in the position they're in.
No concern regarding calf issue Porzingis logged 12 points (4-7 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), four rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 23 minutes during Sunday's victory, but he exited the matchup with 4:40 remaining and didn't return. He appeared to be getting his calf looked at on the team's bench area, but the issue isn't expected to be a concern as the NBA Finals roll on.
