The Boston Celtics are one win away from a record 18th NBA championship after taking a 3-0 Finals stranglehold over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday (AEST).
Mavericks megastar Luka Doncic fouled out with just over four minutes to play in the fourth quarter as the Celtics fended off a furious comeback for a 106-99 triumph in Dallas.
Doncic had never previously fouled out of a playoff game and the Mavericks unsuccessfully challenged the call for his defence on Jaylen Brown.
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Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles while being fouled by Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. Getty
“A devastating result,” announcer Mike Breen said.
Doncic’s night ended with 27 points, six rebounds and six assists.
NBA teams are 0-156 when trailing 3-0 in a best of seven series.
Doncic’s defensive effort was called out by announcer Doris Burke in the first quarter.
“A moment where Luka takes a minute to bark at the officials, doesn’t sprint in transition and you’re playing five on four,” Burke said.
The Celtics are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA titles with 17.
Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball. Getty
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and Brown 30 for Boston.
Brown added eight rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics extended their franchise record with a 10th consecutive playoff victory and moved to 7-0 on the road this postseason.
Game four is on Saturday (AEST) in Dallas.
Boston also improved to 10-1 in these playoffs without Kristaps Porzingis after the Latvian centre was ruled out because of a rare tendon injury in his left leg.
The status of Porzingis for the rest of the series is in doubt, but it might not matter.
The Mavericks almost pulled off a crazy comeback to avoid the big hole – 13 years after the only other rally to match it in the Finals sparked Dallas’ run to their only title against the Miami Heat.
Boston led 91-70 at the end of a 20-5 run early in the fourth quarter before Dallas answered with a 22-2 spurt to get within a point with three minutes remaining.
Kyrie Irving, who scored 35 points, hit a jumper to get Dallas within one before Tatum and Brown saved the Celtics, with some help from Derrick White (16 points).
Doncic complained about the officiating post-game.
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks walks across the court in the second quarter. Getty
“We couldn’t play physical so, I don’t know. I don’t want to say nothing but six fouls in the NBA Finals… come on man, better than that.”
The last time Dallas trailed 3-0 was nine years ago, when they lost to the Houston Rockets in five games in the first round.
“We just got to make history. We got to go out there and we just got to play like our lives on the line,” rookie centre Dereck Lively said. – with AP