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Dallas Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving (11), P.J. Washington (25), Maxi Kleber (42) and Luka Doncic (77) head to the bench during a timeout in the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals against the Boston Celtics, Monday, June 17, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
BOSTON — Short jumpers rolled off the rim and 3-pointers went in and out. Even free throws were a challenge for Luka Doncic in the clinching game of the NBA Finals.
Dallas needed Doncic and Kyrie Irving to be at their best in Game 5 against the Celtics on Monday night.
Instead, the Mavericks’ best players got off to a terrible start, and by the time their shots started falling the Celtics were coasting to a 106-88 victory and their unprecedented 18th NBA title.
Doncic scored 28 points and finished 12 of 25 from the floor, but missed his first six 3-point attempts.
He had 12 rebounds but also turned the ball over seven times. He was 2 for 5 from the free throw line, a problem that has bothered him throughout the series.
Irving was 3 for 9 from 3-point range and 5 of 16 overall.
He had nine assists but 15 points–six of them in the fourth quarter–when the game was already out of reach.
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