Top 3 areas Dallas Mavericks need to improve in order to win Game 2 against Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics dominated the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals, winning 107-89. The Mavericks struggled to find momentum against the Eastern Conference champions.

Kristaps Porzingis was the standout player, scoring 20 points on 13 shots and grabbing six rebounds in 20 minutes. The Celtics also had strong performances from their starters, all of whom scored in double digits.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 22 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Jayson Tatum added 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

Derrick White contributed 15 points and five assists, Jrue Holiday had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Al Horford chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.

For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough. Kyrie Irving managed 12 points on 19 shots, while PJ Washington and Jaden Hardy combined for 27 points.

The game highlighted several areas where the Mavericks can improve. Here are three key areas for improvement.

3 things the Dallas Mavericks need to improve in Game 2

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1. Better playmaking needed from Luka Doncic

The Celtics forced Luka Dončić to focus on scoring, limiting him to just one assist, a season-low.

As Tim Bontemps noted, Doncic had never recorded fewer than two assists in a playoff game and didn't have fewer than three in any game this season. In Game 1, he managed only one assist in 38 minutes.

The Celtics defended him one-on-one without additional help, leading Dončić to try to single-handedly take on the defense. This strategy resulted in the Celtics outpassing the Mavericks with 23 assists to nine and holding Dallas to 41.7% shooting overall and 25.9% from 3-point range.

As the primary playmaker for the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic needs to improve.

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2. Defend the 3-point line better

The Celtics were dominant from long range, hitting 16 3-pointers compared to the Mavericks' seven.

All seven Celtics players who played more than 16 minutes made at least two triples each, with Payton Pritchard being the only one who attempted a 3 but did not make one.

The Dallas Mavericks need to focus on disrupting the Celtics' shooting to improve their defense.

Even Doncic acknowledged this, stating after Game 1:

"We’ve got to take those threes away. That’s what hurt us the most. They have five guys and they can all shoot."

3. Get better production from Kyrie Irving

The series was anticipated as Kyrie Irving's opportunity for revenge against the Celtics, but in Game 1, he disappointed with a poor shooting performance. Irving scored only 12 points and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

His record against Boston since leaving the team now stands at 0-11 in his last 11 games.

Irving's struggles in the game underscored the significance of his partnership with Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks. This combination is crucial as it sparks their offense and enables their wings and big men to perform effectively.

“We didn’t perform the way we would have wanted to tonight,” Irving said. “It starts with me just being able to get out there and get us settled.”

Game 2 in Boston tips off at 8 p.m. on Sunday.