Celtics control key stretches to beat Mavericks 110-100 in Dallas behind Jaylen Brown’s 33 points

Boston strings together decisive defensive runs and steady scoring to close out a road win

The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 110-100 on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Dallas, using a dominant middle portion of the game to secure their third consecutive victory. Boston improved to 32-18, while Dallas fell to 19-31 and absorbed a fifth straight loss.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 points and 11 rebounds, setting an early tone as the Celtics built and protected a lead through sustained defensive pressure. Payton Pritchard added 26 points off the bench, providing a scoring lift that helped Boston separate during pivotal stretches. Luka Garza scored 16 points and was perfect from three-point range, going 4-for-4 beyond the arc.

Quarter-by-quarter: Boston led 32-29 after one, then held Dallas to 15 points in the second quarter and carried a 52-44 halftime advantage.

Boston’s control was most evident in the second and third quarters. After a relatively even first period, the Celtics limited Dallas to 15 points in the second quarter, a defensive stand that shifted the game’s structure. The Celtics then expanded the margin in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 34-23 to take a 19-point lead into the final period.

Dallas mounted its best push in the fourth, winning the quarter 33-24, but Boston’s late-game execution held. Brown scored eight straight points in the closing minutes to blunt the comeback attempt and restore separation, turning Dallas’s momentum into a series of empty possessions.

Flagg’s breakout night highlights Dallas’s reliance on a short-handed rotation

Rookie Cooper Flagg scored 36 points with nine rebounds and six assists for Dallas, continuing a high-scoring stretch that has quickly become central to the Mavericks’ offense. His performance kept the Mavericks within reach despite Boston’s extended control across the middle quarters.

Dallas entered the game short-handed and dealt with additional health concerns during play, factors that showed up in both depth and continuity. Boston’s bench production was a key differentiator, with the Celtics’ reserves significantly outscoring Dallas’s second unit.

• Brown: 33 points, 11 rebounds (Boston)
• Pritchard: 26 points off the bench (Boston)
• Flagg: 36 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists (Dallas)

The result underscored a familiar formula for Boston: creating separation with defense and pace through the second and third quarters, then leaning on late-shot creation to close. For Dallas, Flagg’s production provided a clear focal point, but the Mavericks struggled to generate enough support scoring to erase the deficit built before the fourth-quarter rally.