(Field Level Media) Kemba Walker sank eight 3-pointers and scored 24 of his 29 points in the second half to lead the host Boston Celtics past the Dallas Mavericks 116-106 last night.
Jaylen Brown had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Marcus Smart scored 17 as the Celtics extended their winning streak to eight. Boston played its first game without forward Gordon Hayward, who will miss six weeks after surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand.
Luka Doncic scored 34 points for the Mavericks, who lost for the first time in five road games this season.
Dallas began the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, grabbing its first lead of the game at 88-86 on a Tim Hardaway Jr. floater with 7:23 to go. Boston responded with an 8-4 stretch, forging ahead for good on a Walker 3-pointer with 5:22 remaining.
After Doncic missed the second of two free throws with a chance to tie, he was assessed a flagrant-1 foul. Boston’s Daniel Theis hit 1 of 2 at the line, and a pair of Walker treys helped the Celtics to a 101-94 edge with 4:12 remaining.
Walker went to the bench with back spasms with 2:42 left after a hit from Doncic. Walker left for the locked room early as Boston went up by as much as 14 the rest of the way in sealing the victory.
Tied at the half, the Celtics began the third on an 18-5 run to grab their largest lead to that point, 72-59, on a Walker trey at 6:38.
Doncic then caught fire, scoring 10 points in a 12-4 Mavericks run as Dallas got within five with 2:46 left. The Mavericks remained down by five, 84-79, entering the fourth.
The Celtics began the night with an 8-0 run, expanded their lead to 15-5 on a Brown 3-pointer and ended the first quarter up 25-21.
The Mavericks kept pace in the second, ending the quarter on a 14-4 run to forge a 54-all tie with 2.1 seconds remaining on a Dorian Finney-Smith dunk.
Doncic and Brown each had 12 points at the half.
