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 Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics met in Dallas on Saturday for their first matchup since last season's NBA Finals. Dallas was missing many key pieces, including starters Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II, while Boston was wrapping up a four-game road trip.

Seven different Celtics had at least three assists, including Luke Kornet with FIVE. Daniel Gafford's name was thrown in trade rumors not even two weeks ago because of how poorly he'd been playing.

DALLAS — Jayson Tatum scored 24 points ... Kyrie Irving scored 22 points, Quentin Grimes added 20 off the bench and Daniel Gafford had 19 points and matched a season high with 15 rebounds ...

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points ... Quentin Grimes added 20 off the bench and Daniel Gafford had 19 points and matched a season high with 15 rebounds for the Mavericks, who are 5-11 since superstar ...

Jalen Brunson had 30 points and 15 assists, OG Anunoby scored 23 points and the New York Knicks beat the Denver Nuggets, 122-112, on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) for their fifth straight victory. Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points,

In a surprising turn of events, the Boston Celtics fell to the Houston Rockets 114-112 on Monday night, as Dillon Brooks lit up the court with a career-high 10 triples. The unexpected offensive explosion from Brooks shocked the Celtics,

The media will never come close to knowing as much about competing and battling in the NBA as those who have played or currently are playing in the league. I have no problem admitting that. They’d mop the floor with us.

The Dallas Mavericks are about to enter a challenging stretch of the season, and one underlying factor will make or break them moving forward.

In a Finals rematch with the Mavericks, the Celtics' punishing offense was on full display just like it was in the gentlemen's sweep of Dallas.

The Celtics found creative solutions against Dallas’ defensive schemes, with Derrick White leading a pivotal third-quarter surge. From mid-range scoring to bench contributions, Boston’s adaptability shone in Dallas.

James Harden scored 17 of his 40 points in the third quarter and Norman Powell added 33 points as the Los Angeles Clippers finished off a 127-117 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks at Inglewood,