Celtics Look to Clinch NBA Title in Game 5

Boston Leads Mavericks 67-46 at Halftime

Renewed Hope for Dallas as Series Shifts Back to Boston

The Boston Celtics are on the verge of capturing their 18th NBA championship after a dominant first half in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Celtics closed out the first quarter of Monday's game with a 9-0 run and took a commanding 67-46 lead over the Dallas Mavericks into the break. The Mavericks, who are desperately trying to avoid a sweep, managed to keep the Celtics from clinching the title in Game 4. But they now face an uphill battle in Boston, where the Celtics have been nearly unbeatable throughout the playoffs. The Celtics' offense has been firing on all cylinders, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Tatum has been averaging 21.8 points per game in the series, while Brown is averaging 21.5 points. The Celtics have also been getting solid contributions from Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III. The Mavericks' offense, on the other hand, has struggled to find its rhythm. Luka Doncic, the team's leading scorer, has been held to an average of 18.8 points per game in the series. The rest of the Mavericks' roster has also failed to step up consistently. The Mavericks will need to find a way to improve their offense in Game 5 if they want to have any chance of extending the series. They will also need to play better defense against the Celtics, who have been shooting the ball well throughout the playoffs. Game 5 of the NBA Finals is scheduled to tip off at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday night in Boston. The Celtics will be looking to clinch their first championship since 2008, while the Mavericks will be fighting to stay alive in the series.