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.

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

A tough night for Dallas in their highly anticipated rematch, with challenges on and off the court shaping the team's immediate future.

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

Get real-time NBA basketball coverage and scores as Boston Celtics takes on Dallas Mavericks. We bring you the latest game previews, live stats, and recaps on CBSSports.com

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

The Dallas Mavericks entered the Queen City with another shorthanded roster for their matinee against the Charlotte Hornets on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The early tip-off was just the start of a back-and-forth tilt between the two teams,

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 24 points and Derrick White added 23 to lead the visiting Boston Celtics to a 122-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

The Celtics are playing very well this season and are one of the best teams in the NBA, while the Mavericks are also playing well but dealing with some injuries. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Mavericks prediction and pick.

Individually, Irving’s numbers were better against the Celtics on Saturday, but for the Mavericks the result was all too familiar. They will see the Celtics again, in Boston, on Feb. 6, trade deadline day. Perhaps they will have Doncic back, or nearly back, by then.

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.

Dort was attempting to navigate around a screen set by center Daniel Gafford for guard Kyrie Irving. In the process, Dort inadvertently struck Gafford in the groin area, prompting officials to ...