Zion Williamson sat out the New Orleans Pelicans’ game against the Boston Celtics on Friday night because of a stomach illness.

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.

Jaylen Brown scored 28 points and Jayson Tatum added 27, including a tiebreaking jumper with 0.2 seconds left, as the visiting Boston Celtics held off the New Orleans Pelicans 118-116 on Friday night.

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.

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.

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.

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.

After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night in a 137-136 thriller, a game in which both sides seemed allergic to defense, Dallas continues its road trip on Friday when they travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons.