‘If the Mavs lose Game 3, IT’S OVER!’ – Richard Jefferson on the Celtics going up 2-0 | NBA Today

‘If the Mavs lose Game 3, IT’S OVER!’ – Richard Jefferson on the Celtics going up 2-0 | NBA Today

for 16 years the Boston Celtics they have been stuck on Banner number 17 now 18 is just two wins away the building was rocking the question is can they keep it rolling as the series shifts to Dallas Chan yeah Luca was banged up but still suits up for game two at the TD Garden let’s jump to the halfway point of the first quarter watch this Richard oh just taking off and these were the blowb that we were talking about like look that’s tough one in transition but if you can even slow him up for half a step then all of a sudden you allow your defense to come in the lake or excuse me uh we’ve been talking about it so much the Celtics have been dominant on both ends of the floor but Luca got going Luca definitely did get going you saw a fade away there then he knocked down a three he started to cook now we know he was limited Mobility wise but on offense he did not miss a beat as we head to the second quarter though MAV down 4644 and it still was raining that and that’s what they need Luca gave them in my opinion from the off on the offensive end what they need he got back into double digit assist knock down 30 but it was the defense that is where in my opinion Dallas really struggled on key moments yeah he was a liability out there not being 100% And the Celtics took full advantage of it watch the ball movement Tatum finds Drew holiday for the corner Trey and look at the numbers holiday scored 11 points on five of five from the field off of passes from Jason Tatum in the first half now let’s go to the second half Celtics down 5554 off a Miss unselfish basketball unself basketball the level of trust that each one of them have in each other is so impressive and mainly because they’ve all proven throughout their careers and we’ve been waiting for a play like this Richard we’ve been waiting for it they’ve done a good job of taking that away they have really made Lively ineffective he hasn’t really been able to get off and have the impact that they have had before but you know who did have an impact uh the Celtics defense overall Luca turns it over and holidays on the break and dunks it on the other end and watch this Tatum talking about him being a great playmaker finds once again yeah and it’s the cutting it’s the off ball movement there is no set not everyone’s watching Jason Tatum work when they see the back of a defender’s head that’s when they cut yep three seconds left in the third quarter buzzer beater pyton Pritchard knocks it down shoot it every time I don’t care about your percentages I care about the attempt that was his first bucket of the finals and what an epic one yeah it was a momentum shifter now let’s go to the fourth quarter Celtics up 9789 they’re breaking it Loose here yeah that was just the defense this what you call two-way I’m gonna get the steal I’m gonna cause the turnover the ball’s gonna come back to me my teammate’s going to throw it knock it down for three that was a pivotal pivotal play in the third speaking of pival one minute left Mavs down 10395 Luca draws the foul and gets the and one and then the next possession Tatum gets blocked now the Mavs are on the break and this was a key play PJ Washington is blocked at The Rim let’s take another look because Jaylen Brown did put his hand on his back no foul is called no it’s 100% a foul look you can’t can’t change anything for me when I see this that’s why I saw why he jumped the way he did he wasn’t able to get any elevation Jaylen Brown drives and ice is the game right here Celtics win game two 10598 holiday 26 and 11 donic with 32 and here he is right after the game at the end of the day we got to make some more shots you know I think my turnovers and my Miss FR throw class is a game uh so I got to do way better in those two categories uh but at the end of the day we got to make shots to win them it’s not you know all on him it’s a team we win as a team and we lose as a team and so um he put us in a position um he was really good tonight um and unfortunately we just couldn’t um you know get over the hump well it’s also not all on him because Luka donic had a 30o triple double in this one rich how much trouble are the Mavs in heading down to Dallas down 02 uh I think they would have liked they would have liked to get one of those games in Boston especially considering how in his play but now it’s a one game series it’s a one game series if Dallas does not win this game game three we know that this is pretty much over but yes he did do a lot there were still eight turnovers in my opinion if we’re talking about Luca there is room for improvement on his greatness we have to dissect every part you get eight turnovers you are getting blown by and my thing is this you can’t move that well on offense and then you’re hobbled on defense you can move those puppies and you can put everybody in the blender you got to be able to move your feet you got to be able to do something because it’s not like he’s giving people space and they’re shooting over them he’s getting up on them and they’re blowing by them and it’s causing problems in their defense and my issue was Luca he was trying to do everything he kicked it out his teammates missed multiple open shots good looks so overall I think that was the struggle they were not able to find Rhythm Malica [Music]

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Chiney Ogwumike, Richard Jefferson and Austin Rivers join me on NBA Today to break down and react to Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals where the Boston Celtics took down the Dallas Mavericks to go up 2-0 in the series.