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,

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.

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.

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

Dallas led 16-6 just four minutes into the game and had a 29-25 advantage after one quarter. The Celtics built a 15-point lead in the second quarter, but the Mavericks scored the final five points in the half to trail 59-49. Boston had no turnovers in the first half.

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.

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.

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

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,

The Smoothie King Center had plenty of energy Wednesday night, but on a night where they had plenty of offense, the New Orleans Pelicans just couldn’t get

Stephen Curry bounced back from a four-point first half with five second-half 3-pointers and the Golden State Warriors rallied to overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 52 points and stun the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-109 on Wednesday night in San Francisco.