Payton Pritchard thrives off the bench, Jaylen Brown controls the night, and Boston barely breaks a sweat with Nikola Vucevic en route.
The Celtics (32-18) kept rolling Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to three games with a 110-100 victory over a shorthanded Mavericks (19-31) team - and they did it while quietly ushering in a new era of lineup flexibility.
Hours after agreeing to send Anfernee Simons to Chicago in a deal for Nikola Vucevic, Boston debuted a new-look starting five.
Payton Pritchard came off the bench for the first time all season, Baylor Scheierman drew the start, and the Celtics never looked uncomfortable.
They built the lead methodically, stretched it to as many as 23 points, and turned the fourth quarter into more of a formality than a fight.
Jaylen Brown and Pritchard controlled the night, Cooper Flagg did everything he could to keep Dallas afloat, and Boston walked out with another double-digit win that felt far less complicated than the box score suggests.
Here are four takeaways from Tuesday’s win:
1. Cooper Flagg Is Good
We all knew that, but it’s another thing to watch him in a full game, start to finish.
The Mavericks didn’t have much offensively outside of their rookie phenom, but Flagg was spectacular.
The 19-year-old poured in 36 points on efficient shooting, lived at the free-throw line, and never shied away from the moment despite Boston loading up defensively.
The concerning part for Dallas is how steep the drop-off was after him - no other Maverick scored more than 13 points.
Flagg looks like a franchise cornerstone already; now the Mavericks need to build something functional around him.
2. Jaylen Brown The Rebounder
Brown’s 33-point night will grab the headlines, but his 11 rebounds were just as important.
This wasn’t a one-off. Brown has now posted five double-doubles in his last eight games and has consistently helped clean up what was once a soft spot for Boston on the glass.
His physicality has added an edge to a team that’s becoming increasingly comfortable winning without relying on perfect spacing or shooting nights.
3. Luka Garza Refuses To Fade
With Vucevic on the way, Garza could’ve easily shrunk in this spot.
Instead, he responded with one of his most efficient performances of the season: 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting in just 20 minutes, plus 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Garza has been quietly steady for weeks, and Tuesday served as a reminder that the center rotation doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game once the new addition becomes official.
4. Payton Pritchard’s Role Changed. His Impact Didn’t.
Coming off the bench didn’t slow Pritchard down in the slightest.
He carved up Dallas’ defense for 26 points and 7 assists, doing most of his damage inside the arc while still playing starter-level minutes.
The Celtics didn’t lose any offensive rhythm with the change, and if anything, the second unit looked more organized with Pritchard steering it.
Joe Mazzulla may not commit to this alignment long-term, but the early returns were exactly what Boston hoped for.
Boston now heads to Houston (31-17) for the second night of a back-to-back, continuing a stretch where lineup changes, trades, and roster tweaks haven’t disrupted their momentum - only reinforced how adaptable this group has become.
Feb 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) and forward Dwight Powell (7) during the second half at American Airlines Center. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.