Boston never trailed the Mavericks Wednesday night at TD Garden.
At least until the 4:17 mark of the fourth quarter.
That’s when Deron Williams canned a 3 from right in front of Boston’s bench to put Dallas on top 94-91.
Williams hit the shot as if he was all alone in the gym hoisting up practice Js. Maybe because that’s exactly what it looked like.
Dirk Nowitzki picked off a pass from Evan Turner and Dallas took the ball the other way with Raymond Felton leading the break. As the C’s transitioned to defense, they somehow lost track of the Dallas’ other point guard, Williams, a three-time All-Star.
Felton did not. He saw his teammate wide open, with no Celtic within 10 feet of him, and hit him with a pass. Williams, who had hit just four of his 10 shots on the night to that point, drained the corner 3 without a graze of the rim.
That bucket seemed to shoot life into Dallas. The Mavs held Boston to only two field goals over the final 3:25 of the game and never relinquished their lead en route to a 106-102 win.
Avery Bradley had a hot first half. Jared Sullinger did it all night long.
Sullinger tallied his team-leading fourth double-double of the season Wednesday night by logging 18 points and 12 boards. He trailed Isaiah Thomas by only one point for the team high in scoring, while he and Mavs big man Zaza Pachulia tied for the game high in rebounding.
One of Sully’s buckets gave the C’s a chance down the stretch. He canned a 3-pointer at the 3:26 mark to cut Boston’s deficit from five down to two. Dallas, however, responded with four straight points to regain a comfortable lead at six points.
Sullinger also dished out three assists on the night. That total trailed only Isaiah Thomas on the Celtics.
Brad Stevens on giving away an 18-point lead that was built during the first quarter.
