Watch: Mavericks come out strong facing elimination in NBA Finals

Kyrie Irving was 4-of-7 from the court and scored nine points. The star guards combined to outscore the Celtics, but others also contributed to the Mavs' hot start.

Center Dereck Lively II was productive off the bench with five early points, including the first made three of his career as he connected from the corner. He was on the receiving end of an alley-oop lob from Irving on the Mavs' next trip down the court.

Dallas was the more aggressive team on the boards. Backup shooting guard Josh Green made the crowd roar with a slam after he crashed the offensive glass.

While the Mavericks have more work to do to make this a series, their sizzling start suggests they aren't ready for the season to be over.