The Boston Celtics, propelled by Jrue Holiday's 26 points, thwarted a late rally from the Mavericks to secure a 105-98 victory and a 2-0 advantage in the NBA Finals.

Despite encountering early issues with their three-point shooting, the Celtics' unified effort on both offense and defense secured them a second successive home victory. They now head to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday with a solid lead.

Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points while Jayson Tatum added 18 points, along with nine rebounds and 12 assists.

Holiday praised Tatum for maintaining the Celtics' offensive rhythm despite a tough shooting night, which saw Tatum land only six of 22 attempts, including just one three-pointer.

“A lot of credit goes to JT,” Holiday remarked. “They were double-teaming him, and he made the correct plays. The way he led us, got into the paint, made plays, and found me open was all thanks to him,” Holiday added.

Struggling with additional injuries, Mavericks star Luka Doncic posted a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. However, he lacked adequate support from his teammates.

PJ Washington scored 17 points, and eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving managed 16 points, shooting seven of 18 and missing all three of his three-point attempts.

Doncic cited turnovers and missed free throws as critical factors, mentioning that he had committed eight of the Mavericks’ 15 turnovers and missed multiple free throws. The Celtics, in contrast, capitalized on 19 of their 20 attempts from the line.

“We need to make more shots ultimately,” Doncic admitted. “My turnovers and missed free throws were costly, so I must do better in those areas.

“But fundamentally, we need to hit shots to win the game.”

Returning to Dallas, the Mavericks will face intense pressure, with the Celtics maintaining an unbeaten away record this postseason.

“Basketball remains the same, home or away,” Doncic commented. “We need to play better to win.”

Trailing by 14 with fewer than four minutes left, the Mavericks narrowed the deficit to five with 1:15 to play, as Doncic drove for a layup and completed the free throw after being fouled.

However, Boston's Derrick White executed a critical block on Washington, and Brown's layup sealed the game for the Celtics.

The Mavericks, who struggled from the beginning in Game 1, showed determination and defensive energy from the start in Game 2. Doncic alone scored 13 points in the first quarter, while Irving chipped in with eight.

The Celtics, who relied heavily on three-pointers at the beginning of the previous game, only made their first from long range through Al Horford in the last moments of the quarter, trailing Dallas 28-25 after one.

Tatum gained momentum in the second quarter, assisting Kristaps Porzingis with a jumper and feeding White for a three-pointer, giving the Celtics their first lead at 36-35 with 8:01 left in the second quarter. Boston managed to secure a 54-51 lead by halftime.

A 10-0 run in the third quarter established the Celtics' control, and the team's collaborative effort continued to build on their lead.

“I'm very proud of our team,” veteran Celtics player Horford stated. “We knew we had to defend our home court. Despite their aggressive approach, we managed to handle their runs and protect our home.”

The only setback for Boston was when Porzingis, who had a stellar return in Game 1 after a 38-day layoff, appeared to injure his leg midway through the fourth quarter and left the game after lingering for a few more moments.

Nevertheless, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla indicated no worries about Porzingis's injury being serious.