The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics met in Dallas on Saturday for their first matchup since last season's NBA Finals. Dallas was missing many key pieces, including starters Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II, while Boston was wrapping up a four-game road trip.

The Mavericks, as The Athletic reported earlier this month, have expressed interest in conversations with rival teams about acquiring an impact perimeter defender. Dallas, according to

Daniel Gafford was perfect, scoring 22 points with 12 rebounds and 4 blocks in the Mavericks’ down-to-the-wire win over the Pelicans.

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, Derrick White added 23, including Boston’s first 11 of the third quarter, and the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 122-107 on Saturday night in the first meeting between the teams since the NBA Finals.

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford recently joined ANTA Basketball, strengthening a growing partnership with his teammate Kyrie Irving, the brand’s Chief Creative Officer.

READ MORE: Three-point barrage carries Celtics over Mavericks in NBA Finals rematch, 122-107

The Dallas Mavericks returned home to host the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in a Saturday matinee on ABC and ESPN. The Mavericks lost to the Celtics 122-107 in an NBA Finals rematch at the American Airlines Center.

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) has his shot blocked by Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21 ... Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics in their next three games. Mike is the Mavericks Beat Writer for The Dallas Morning News.

In a rematch of the 2024 NBA finals, the defending champion Boston Celtics visited the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Find out about the latest injury update on Luka Doncic as the Dallas Mavericks prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons on January 31, 2025.

That shooting performance put Daniel Gafford in the Mavericks' record books for the most games in team history without missing a shot (minimum of nine shots attempted). He also joined Lively and DeAndre Jordan as the only players in franchise history to have 20 points and 10 rebounds on perfect shooting, according to the Mavericks PR team.

The Dallas Mavericks are facing an injury crisis along their frontline. Dereck Lively II is set to miss significant time with an ankle fracture, and no one knows for sure when he'll be back. Lively is a huge loss for a team looking to return to the NBA Finals,