The Boston Celtics are aiming to avoid consecutive losses for only the second time this season as they prepare to face the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Boston suffered a 117-96 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, marking their worst loss of the season by margin. This was also their fifth game in seven nights.
Typically, the Celtics have been able to rebound well after a loss. The only time they dropped two games in a row this season was in late December, against Orlando (108-104) and Philadelphia (118-114).
However, consistency has been an issue for Boston recently. Their record over the last 10 games stands at 5-5. They ended December with an 8-6 record and are currently 7-5 in January.
Jaylen Brown of the Celtics stated, “Each game presents its own opportunities.” Despite being short-handed, the Dallas Mavericks remain a formidable opponent, as evidenced by their 121-115 win over Oklahoma City on Thursday.
The Mavericks have been without several key players, including Luka Doncic (left calf strain), Naji Marshall (illness), Klay Thompson (ankle), Dereck Lively II (ankle), Dwight Powell (hip), Dante Exum (wrist), and Jaden Hardy (ankle). Doncic has missed more games (23) than he has played this season (22).
Dallas has lost five of their last seven games, with both victories in that span coming against Oklahoma City. In their recent win, the Mavericks shot 45.2 percent from beyond the arc (14 of 31), led by Kyrie Irving, who made 4 of his 8 three-point attempts.
As the Celtics look to bounce back and regain their form, they will have to contend with a resilient Mavericks squad, even without their star players. This matchup will be crucial for both teams as they seek to build momentum moving forward.
