Game 4 of the NBA Finals took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday night, and with their season on the line, the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Boston Celtics 122-84 to force a fifth game in the series.
With the series now at 3-1, the Celtics will play Game 5 at TD Garden in Boston on Monday in an attempt to win an NBA record 18th championship. The NBA reports that teams leading 3-1 in the NBA Finals have won the series roughly 97% of the time (36-1).
Dallas got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 13-point lead late in the first quarter and establishing the tone for the rest of the game. Dallas faced the possibility of becoming the 10th team in NBA Finals history to be swept. By the end of the first half, the Mavericks had doubled their early lead, leading 61-35.
Boston’s defeat dropped them to 7-1 on the road and ended their 10-game winning streak in a single postseason, an NBA playoff record.
Dallas’ remarkable comeback in Game 4 was led by superstar Luka Dončić, who scored a scorching 25 points in the first two quarters. Following his foul out in Game 3 and harsh criticism for his lack of defensive effort, Dončić put on a strong comeback performance.
“I’m not very attentive. No matter what, criticism will always exist. “I simply maintain my concentration and ensure my team triumphs,” Dončić remarked following his team’s third-largest victory margin in NBA Finals history.
Since teammate Kyrie Irving in 2017, Doncic became the youngest player to score 25 or more points in the first half of a Finals game. In the triumph, Irving contributed 21 points and six assists, while the 25-year-old finished with 29 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
“We can’t lose any more; we know we have to get.” Doncic told reporters, “Like we always say, we’re going to believe till the end.”
