By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Boston Celtics went up to 3-0 in the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
Resisting a crazy comeback bid by the Dallas Mavericks, they held on for a win, 106-99, in American Airlines Center on Wednesday.
Jaylen Brown scored nine of his 30 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3, dished out eight assists, and pulled down eight rebounds. Jayson Tatum recorded a team-high 31 points. Derrick White followed with 16 points, including 4/9 three-pointers.
No Porzingis tonight and maybe not good news for Latvia’s hopes for the Olympic qualifiers https://t.co/CviImNN6NU
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) June 12, 2024
Picking up an injury in his left leg, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out of Game 3. Remaining day-to-day, he is questionable to play in Game 4 in the same venue on Friday and for the remainder of the best-of-seven championship series. Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Portuguese Neemias Queta were available but did not play.
On the losing end, Slovenian Luka Doncic fouled out with 4:12 on the clock amid a furious rally reducing the deficit from 21 to one point. He exited with 27 points behind 11/27 field goals, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal over 37 minutes.
This was Luka Doncic’s sixth foul. Good or bad call? 🤔
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) June 13, 2024
“It is not over until it is over,” he said after his side fell into a 3-0 hole, “We just got to believe. Like I always say, it is first to four. We are going to stay together. We lose together, we win together. So we got to stay together.”
German Maxi Kleber missed both of his shots and pulled down one rebound. He lasted just over eight minutes.