The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics in an NBA Finals rematch on Saturday evening, 122-107. While it was a disappointing result for the Mavs, there was one shining moment for them.

Individually, Irving’s numbers were better against the Celtics on Saturday, but for the Mavericks the result was all too familiar. They will see the Celtics again, in Boston, on Feb. 6, trade deadline day. Perhaps they will have Doncic back, or nearly back, by then.

DALLAS — Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, Derrick White added 23, including Boston’s first 11 of the third quarter, and the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-107 on Saturday night in the first meeting between the teams since the NBA Finals.

The former Mavs big man left nearly three years ago, but hadn’t played a game at American Airlines Center until Saturday.

The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics met on Saturday for the first time since the 2024 NBA Finals, with the Celtics coming away with a 122-107 win. This game saw Kristaps Porzingis on the floor in Dallas for the first time since he was traded away... and that was in 2022. So how did he perform in his return?