Three turning points from Game 3 of the NBA Finals

But halfway through the quarter, Doncic started to show frustration. He thought he was fouled on one layup attempt, and with 5:25 remaining, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called a timeout to calm his team, and Doncic down. Generally, the coach who is on a 20-2 run isn't the one who calls timeout. It didn't calm Doncic down.

Doncic committed fouls on Jaylen Brown on Boston's first two possessions out of the timeout, his third and fourth fouls of the quarter. Kidd challenged the last one to try to keep his star in the game, but it failed, which also prevented him from challenging a much more questionable offensive foul on P.J. Washington a minute later.

After the game, Doncic blamed the officials, but he put himself in that position by playing recklessly. Ultimately, by fouling out with four minutes to go, he doomed the Mavericks' chances to complete their epic comeback.

2. Jaylen Brown's closes the third quarter with a poster

The Celtics took control of Game 3 with a 35-point third quarter , led by Jason Kidd's favorite Celtic. The last of Brown's 15 points in the quarter was an emphatic dunk, easily driving past what was supposed to be a double team from Kyrie Irving and Doncic.

Brown shot 6-of-9 in the quarter, gave out three assists and made both his free throws. Six of his points were part of a 14-5 run to close the quarter, which gave Boston a 15-point lead. Then he made a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter, as Irving had his back turned, perhaps still shell-shocked from the dunk.

It's the second time the Celtics closed a quarter with a 5-0 run capped with a dunk. Jayson Tatum did that to end the first quarter as well.

In 70 seconds to close the first and third quarters, Boston outscored Dallas 10-0. In a game that ended with a seven-point margin, the Celtics' ability to close quarters may have been the key difference in Game 3. 

3. Sam Hauser enters the game in the first quarter

Sam Hauser wasn't even drafted coming out of college in 2021. But on Wednesday night, Hauser had a huge impact off the bench in an NBA Finals game.

Boston's bench was lacking the defense and shooting of Kristaps Porzingis, out with a leg injury. Hauser can't replace KP's size, but he went 3-of-4 from three-point range while playing solid defense for the Celtics. That's why he was a team-high +16, making his biggest offensive impact in the first quarter. His defense in the third quarter was also valuable, as he confidently guarded all five Mavericks on one possession.

Before Hauser came in, Dallas had dominated, leading 25-14. Boston was 2-of-9 from three-point range, the second straight game they couldn't find the range early. Then Hauser came in and grabbed a rebound, found Brown for a basket and calmly knocked down two threes.

Hauser had three threes in Game 3. The Mavericks bench has four threes in the entire series (Hauser is 5-of-11 from deep in the Finals). As good as Tatum and Brown were in Game 3, it really killed Dallas to have no answer for Hauser among its own reserves.