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Agence France-Presse

The Boston Celtics, fuelled by their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, held off a furious Dallas rally to beat the Mavericks 106-99 on Wednesday and take a 3-0 stranglehold on the NBA finals.
Tatum broke out of his scoring doldrums to score 31 points. Brown scored 15 of his 30 in a scorching third quarter and the Celtics held on to move within one victory of a record-setting 18th NBA crown.
Boston, who share the record of 17 titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, can close out the series in game four in Dallas on Friday.
“We are not relaxing or anything like that,” Tatum said, “(We are) not even focusing on winning on Friday or whatever.
“However long it takes, that’s our motto. However long it takes, that’s what it’s going to take, and nobody is not trying to relax at all.”
However, the Mavericks go into the fourth game knowing full well that no team has rallied from 3-0 down to win an NBA playoff series.

With their backs against the wall, the Mavericks sliced a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to one on Kyrie Irving’s jump shot with 3:37 remaining.
By that point, Mavs star Luka Doncic could only watch in frustration. He fouled out with 4:12 remaining, earning his fifth and sixth fouls in less than a minute.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd challenged both and lost, Doncic departing with the Mavs down by three after he was whistled for a blocking foul on Jrue Holiday.
Dallas kept pressing, but the Celtics had the answers. Irving found Dereck Lively for a cutting dunk that pulled the Mavs within 100-98 with 1:20 remaining.
But Brown drilled a jump shot and after Irving missed a tough three-pointer. Derrick White and Tatum each made a pair of free throws and the Celtics notched their 10th straight playoff victory, remaining unbeaten on the road this postseason.
“That was a big-time win for us, and I’m proud of how we played today, Brown said. “They had some momentum, but we kept our poise. We made timely baskets.
“We got some good shots going in, and we found a way to win.”
Irving shook off sub-par shooting performances in the first two games to lead the Mavericks with 35 points. Doncic finished with 27 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out for just the third time in his career.
Doncic was clearly frustrated with the officiating.
“We couldn’t play physical,” he said. “I don’t want to say nothing … you know, six fouls in the NBA Finals – c’mon man. (Do) better than that.”

Even though 156 teams before them have tried and failed to rally from 3-0 down to win an NBA playoff series, Doncic wasn’t ready to wave the white flag.
“It’s not over ‘til it’s over,” he insisted. “We’ve got to stay together.”
After a sombre pregame tribute to NBA icon Jerry West, who died Wednesday at the age of 86, Dallas pounced on the opportunity opened up by the absence of Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis, dominating in the paint in the first quarter.
With Doncic and Irving leading the way Dallas led by as many as 13 points – Irving’s first three-pointer of the series putting Dallas up 25-12.
“They came out swinging,” Tatum said. “That was to be expected.
“They were at home, and their crowd was behind them. This is obviously a big game. So we expected their first punch.”
But the Celtics responded and took their first lead of the game minutes into the second quarter. The lead would change hands six times in the period before the Mavericks emerged with a 51-50 half-time lead.
The Celtics exploded after the break, making their first seven shots of the third quarter.
White’s big block led to a dunk from Brown that gave Boston a 71-61 lead midway through the period.
White banked in a three-pointer and Brown drove for a dunk to push the Celtics’ lead to 85-70 going into the fourth, the advantage swelling to 91-70 before Dallas mounted their late charge.
“Unfortunately, we could just not get over the hump tonight,” Kidd said.


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NBA (National Basketball Association)

NBA Finals: Boston Celtics hold off Dallas Mavericks rally to take commanding series lead

Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jrue Holiday (4) celebrate after defeat of Dallas Mavericks. Photo: Reuters

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic heads to the lockers after Game 3 of the NBA finals. Photo: AP

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points to move the Boston Celtics to within one victory of the NBA Championships. Photo: TNS

Jerry West, Lakers Hall of Fame player, and inspiration for NBA logo, dies at age 86

Former Lakers player and general manager Jerry West died on Wednesday morning at the age of 86. Photo: TNS

Kobe Bryant gives Jerry West a shoulder rub after the Los Angeles Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Western Conference basketball finals in Los Angeles on, May 29, 2008. Photo: AP

Jerry West is believed to be the inspiration for the NBA logo. Photo: AP/File

Jerry West led West Virginia University to the NCAA final in 1959. Photo: TNS

NBL: Ex-CBA all-star Ray Zhu Songwei excited for ‘intensity’ of new campaign after changes

Hong Kong guard Ricky Yang is playing for the Bulls for a second season. Photo: Handout

Former Chinese Basketball Association all-star Zhu Songwei in action. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong Bulls finished eighth in the regular season to reach the playoffs in their NBL debut season. Photo: Handout

Sport

Basketball

Dallas cut a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to two points but Boston held on to push the Mavs to the brink of defeat


Dallas cut a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to two points but Boston held on to push the Mavs to the brink of defeat in the best-of-seven championship series.
