Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Box Score on Nov 20, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 20, 2017

DALLAS -- The Boston Celtics have been comeback specialists during their win streak and their magic continued Monday night.

The Celtics needed another fourth-quarter rally and overtime to get past the Dallas Mavericks 110-102 and push their win streak to 16 in a row.

The Celtics (16-2) have now tied for the franchise's fourth-longest win streak, and they can tie for the third longest when they go for 17 in a row Wednesday at Miami.

Kyrie Irving scored 10 of his game-high and season-best 47 points in overtime after Dallas (3-15) scored in the first four points to take a 100-96 lead.

The Celtics looked to be gassed as they fell behind 87-74 with 7:47 to go, but anyone who has watched them build this improbable win streak knew they likely had one last run.

A clampdown on defense led to a 17-5 run to get within 92-91, but the Celtics still needed a 5-0 spurt to end the game to get to overtime.

Tied at 96 with 61 seconds left, Mavs forward Harrison Barnes, who scored 31 points, missed a step-back jumper for the lead, and Irving misfired on a 3-pointer.

Dallas was for consecutive wins for the first time this season, but instead it was the Celtics who figured out how to avoid losing for the first time since Oct. 18.

Irving put up the fourth-highest scoring game of his career, pouring in 23 points in the first half. He finished 16 of 22 from the floor, 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and 10 of 11 from the free throw line.

Help came from Jaylen Brown with 22 points and nine rebounds, Jayson Tatum with 15 points and Marcus Smart, who was just 2 of 11 on 3-pointers but hit some crucial baskets late to finish with 12 points.

Dallas got 18 points from Wesley Matthews, 16 from J.J. Barea, and Dirk Nowitzki posted his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

NOTES: G Kyrie Irving said coming to the Celtics has probably "exceeded" what he expected about joining a new team. ... During its 16-game win streak, Boston has trailed in the fourth quarter in seven of its last 10 games. ... Mavs G J.J. Barea, a native of Puerto Rico, won the October NBA Cares Community Assist Award for of his continuous relief efforts in his home country after devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. ... F Dirk Nowitzki, playing in his 20th and perhaps final NBA season, has averaged 25.8 ppg in 34 career games against the Celtics, his highest career scoring average against any team.