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NBA Finals Basketball
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, top, and Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, bottom, land on the parquet as they vie for the ball during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals, Monday, June 17, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Doncic and Irving can't deliver for Dallas in NBA Finals clincher as Celtics win 18th championship

Dallas needed Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to be at their best in Game 5 against the Boston Celtics

By Jimmy Golen
Published - Jun 17, 2024, 11:31 PM ET
Last Updated - Jun 17, 2024, 11:32 PM EDT

BOSTON (AP) — 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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