Celtics 120, Mavericks 100: Jayson Tatum Posts Double-Double in Return, Derrick White Leads Boston as Dallas Falls Apart

Jayson Tatum is back — and the Boston Celtics wasted no time reminding the NBA who they are. The defending champions dominated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 at TD Garden on Saturday, March 7, 2026 ET, with Tatum posting a double-double in his return from a minutes restriction, Derrick White delivering 20 efficient points, and Neemias Queta producing the night's most complete performance off the bench. The Celtics led by as many as 25 points, held Dallas to just 20 fourth-quarter points, and snapped a two-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.

Jayson Tatum Stats: 15 Points, 12 Rebounds, 7 Assists — A Complete Return

Jayson Tatum did not need to explode offensively to dominate this game. He finished with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal — a double-double that reminded everyone why the Celtics are dangerous with him healthy. His 12 defensive rebounds were the game's single-best individual rebounding performance, and his 7 assists showed his playmaking instincts remain elite despite the shooting night being below his usual standard.

Tatum played with controlled aggression all night, never forcing the issue offensively while keeping the Celtics' offense organized and efficient. At +20 for the night, he was the anchor of Boston's dominant second and third quarter runs that effectively ended the game as a contest.

Derrick White Stat Line: 20 Points on 8-of-16 Shooting, Elite Defense

Derrick White was the Celtics' most consistent offensive performer all night, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting including 2-of-7 from three, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. White went 2-of-2 from the free-throw line and logged a game-best +23 plus-minus — the clearest reflection of his two-way dominance throughout the evening.

Jaylen Brown Stat Line: 24 Points, 7 Assists, 7 Rebounds

Jaylen Brown was the Celtics' leading scorer, delivering 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting with 2 threes, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Brown logged a +20 plus-minus, shot 66.7% on two-point attempts, and dominated in transition — his 6 fast-break points highlighted Boston's advantage in tempo and physicality every time Dallas tried to push back.

Neemias Queta: The Game's Best Individual Performance

The stat line that jumped off the box score belonged to Neemias Queta. The Portuguese center delivered 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 15 rebounds including 3 offensive boards, 1 steal, 1 block — a dominant double-double off the bench. Queta shot 57.1% from the free-throw line to temper an otherwise spectacular night, but his rebounding and interior presence were game-changing. He logged a +16 plus-minus and shot 75% at the rim.

Baylor Scheierman: Efficient Bench Contribution

Baylor Scheierman provided a clean 5 points on 2-of-3 shooting — hitting his only three-point attempt at 100% — adding 2 rebounds and 2 assists in a compact, efficient bench stint. His +0 plus-minus does not reflect a negative night; rather it reflects limited minutes in a game Boston controlled throughout.

Payton Pritchard Stat Line: 18 Points, 7 Rebounds, 6 Assists

Payton Pritchard was the Celtics' most complete playmaking guard off the bench, finishing with 18 points on 8-of-17 shooting, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and a 6.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. He was a +19 for the night and constantly kept Dallas' defense off-balance with his change-of-pace dribble penetration.

Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg Struggles, Klay Thompson Bright Spot

Cooper Flagg had one of his tougher NBA nights, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-23 shooting — 30.4% from the field — with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 personal fouls. The rookie was -17 for the night and shot only 40% inside the arc, where Boston's defense consistently met him with length and physicality.

The one bright spot for Dallas was Klay Thompson, who finished with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting including 5-of-11 from three-point range. Thompson shot 45.5% from deep and looked comfortable throughout — a strong individual performance in a team collapse.

Naji Marshall added 13 points on 50% shooting but was a -20 for the night, and P.J. Washington shot just 22.2% from the field en route to 5 points in 23 punishing plus-minus minutes at -23.

By the Quarter: How Boston Built the Lead

Dallas actually led after the first quarter, 22-21 — but Boston's second quarter was where the game turned permanently. The Celtics outscored Dallas 37-31 in Q2, extended the lead with a 32-27 third quarter, and closed it out with a dominant 30-20 fourth. Boston's biggest lead was 25 points.

Celtics Schedule Ahead: Spurs, Thunder, and the Playoff Picture

The Celtics next face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by a massive road showdown at Oklahoma City on Friday, March 13 — a game with significant Eastern and Western Conference implications heading into the playoff stretch.