Celtics 84 - 122 Mavericks summary, stats, scores and highlights | NBA Finals Game 4
Lively told ESPN's Lisa Salters that the Mavs have "figured out" what Boston wants to do. Those are some big words from the 20 year old rookie. Only time will tell if that's true, but one thing is true. The Mavs had Boston's number on Friday night. Was this Boston taking their foot off the gas or did the Mavs figure something out?
We have three days to ponder. Game 5 is set for Monday night at TD Garden.
Daniel Gafford had six straight points to start the second half and helped push the lead up to 30 points. He and Lively started to look like they were finally finding themselves in the series. Those two had been limited in their ability to throw down alley oops, but that changed in Game 4.
Luka had 25 points in the first quarter, and the Dallas lead crept up to 26 heading into halftime. He had his buddy Sergio Ramos in the crowd for the elimination game, Some of that championship mentality must have rubbed of on Luka in their pregame chat.
The defense stifled Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on Friday night. Tatum had 11 points in the first quarter, but was held to just four points for the rest of the game, and Jaylen Brown had just 10 on the night.
The Mavs built up a 13 lead in the first quarter of Game 3, but they weren't able to hang on to it. That wasn't the case in Game 4. Kyrie, Luka and the rest of the Mavs were doing the little things, like chasing down loose balls and pulling in offensive rebounds as their desperation was palpable.
While the scoreline is shocking, we should acknowledge that the Celtics had the near impossible task of matching the Mavs in their elimination game. You could see the C's weren't all in to this game, and all you have to do is look at their rebound numbers. Dallas pulled down 52 rebounds to Boston's 31.
Luka got crushed for his defense after Game 3, and even though he claims he wasn't paying attention, something got to him. The defense was fantastic all night for the Mavs, and Doncic put himself on the front line to ensure at least one more game.
Derek LIvely hadn't taken a three in the entire playoffs, but what better time to roll the dice than in an elimination game in the NBA Finals? The 20 year old had a fantastic game, and not just from the perimeter. He did a little bit of everything, and is playing like a seasoned vet in his rookie year.
Derek Jones Jr. only had 5 points on the night, but he pitched in on defense, and made energy plays like this one to get the crowd into the game from the very start.
The Dallas Mavericks an NBA Finals sweep, and live to fight another day after their Game 4 blowout that flirted with a historic blowout. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 50 points, but it was the rest of the cast that stepped up on both sides of the ball.
Kyrie had a huge Game 3, and carried that over into Friday night's must win matchup. He scored the first bucket of the game and got the Mavs off on the right foot in the first quarter.
IT'S ALL OVER!!! WE ARE HEADED TO GAME 5 IN BOSTON!!!
Pritchard running the break and he lays it up and in through the middle of the lane.
Pritchard into the lane and he lays it up and in.
Morris in the corner and he gets the three ball to drop!
Brissett nails a three ball from wing off the kick out from Pritchard.
For anyone wondering, the largest margin of victory in a Finals game is 42. The Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz by 42 in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
Timeout Mavericks with 2:45 to go in the 4th quarter.
Prosper looks up the court and finds Lawson for the slam. Those are Dallas players. I promise I'm not making this up.
Pritchard pulls up from the wing and drills the three ball.
Hardy goes coast to coast as the Mavs continue to run the floor.
Pritchard over the top for Queta on the alley oop.
Brissett to the line after the foul on Morris and he hits both FTs.
Mykhailuk gets a three ball to drop from the top of the key!
Hardy joins the party with a spot up three from the wing!
Hardaway WITH ANOTHER THREE BALL!!! He's on fire!!!
Hardaway with another three ball out of the timeout, and watch out. These minutes are going to be important heading back to Boston.
Hardaway with another deep ball, this one with a foot on the line and he's got 8 straight Dallas points.
Timeout Celtics with 8:01 to go in the 4th quarter.
Hardaway with another three ball, and if he can find his stroke tonight that might come in handy for Game 5 in Boston.
Brisset follows up his own miss and tip it back up and in.
Pritchard into the paint and he hits the short jumper.
Hardaway answers back with a three pointer of his own. And the Mavs have scored 100 points for the first time in this series.
Hauser drills a three ball and he's one of the only Celtics who have been on target tonight.
Exum drills a three ball off the kick out from Hardy.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, AND THE STARTERS ARE OUT FOR BOTH TEAMS HERE IN GAME 4!
Hauser strings a three ball as the Dallas starters head for the bench.
Hauser in the corner and he drills the three ball!
Irving back underneath and he banks it home.
Pritchard gets inside and hits the short jumper from the paint.
Doncic to the baseline and he lobs it up and in over White.
Lively with back to back dunks on consecutive plays and the Celtics need another timeout with 3:18 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Irving in the paint and the short pull up jumper falls.
Holiday drills the three ball for five quick points, but again too little too late.
Irving weaving through traffic and he gets the lay up to fall.
Holiday drives down the lane and floats it up and in with one hand.
Irving puts it on the deck and takes White to the rack for the lay up.
Timeout Celtics with 5:29 to go in the 3rd.
White in the corner for three, but BOS could have used that a little earlier in the game.
Irving follows the miss from Luka and his the short jumper in the lane.
Holiday driving on Kleber and he lays it up and in underneath.
Lively to the line after the foul on Holiday and he hits one of two FTs.
Doncic to the lane and he floats it up and in. It's looking to easy for the Mavs tonight. Is this a sign of things to come or did the Celtics take their foot off the gas a little tonight?
Timeout Boston with 8:38 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Brown to the line after the foul on Washington and he hits both FTs.
Jones with a three ball in the corner to answer right back!
Hauser off the dribble and he hits the mid range jumper on the baseline.
Bounce pass across the perimeter to Washington who splashes the three and it's a 32 POINT GAME HERE IN DALLAS!!!
Doncic running the break and he lobs it up to Gafford who has all six points for the Mavs this half!
Gafford to the line after the foul on Horford and he hits both FTs.
Horford was left open on the wing and he drills the three ball!
Tatum sends Gafford to the line after and he hits both FTs to start the third quarter.
WE ARE BACK IN DALLAS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!
Let's not forget about Kyrie. He has been as good if not better than Luka on the defensive end. He's got 11 points after scoring 9 in the first quarter, but if he keeps the energy on D, the Mavs have a chance to extend this series.
The Mavs blew a 13 point lead they had in the last game, but tonight they made sure to keep adding to that lead throughout the first half. The Celtics are going to make a run. How will Dallas handle it?
Luka's got 25 points and 4 assists, but he is making a difference on the other side of the court and that's why the Mavs are winning this game so far.
It's been the team effort that the Mavs have been looking for for the first three games. Josh Green added some fuel to the fire with this tip slam. None of the other guys have more than 6 points (Lively, but they are in to the game and doing the little things that win games.The Mavs are outreboundng the Celtics 29-13
Luka's defense was heavily criticized over the last couple days. It looks like he was listening because he seems like a different player on the defensive end.
You started to get the feeling that this was Dallas' night after Derek Lively hit a three ball. It was the first long ball he attempted all postseason, and what better night to do it then an elimination game in the NBA Finals.
The Mavs need the rest of the crew to step up and Jones let us know he was ready to step up. This was his only bucket of the first half, but he had big plays on both ends of the floor.
It was Tatum and Brown and Doncic and Irving trading blows in the first few minutes. Boston's duo had the first 9 points for the Celtics and the Mavs duo had the first 10 for their team.
Kyrie got going in the early moments of Game 3, and did the same thing tonight. The Mavs know how important it is for him to warm up to the game in a hurry and he did that in the first quarter.
WE ARE HEADED TO HALFTIME AND THE MAVERICKS ARE ALL OVER THE CELTICS!!!
Kleber answers back with a three ball from the corner and that's going to do it for the first half!
Holiday gets the three ball to fall, but it took him 23 minutes to score his first points.
Doncic running the break and bumped White off the ball under the basket for the open lay up.
Kleber to the line after the foul on Pritchard and he hits both FTs.
Tatum to the line after the foul on Irving and he hits both FTs.
Green was fouled on the three ball by Brown and he hits one just one of three FTs, but it was Brown's third foul.
Lively to the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on White.
Tatum fouled by Jones and he hits both FTs.
Timeout Mavericks with 3:47 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Doncic into the lane again and he gets the short fader to fall.
Hauser finally gets a three ball to go, and that's just seven points that the Celtics have scored in the second quarter.
Irving burns past Holiday and finger rolls it up and in down the lane.
Luka driving the baseline and he floats it up and in over Hauser and Horford. He goes to the line and hits the FT after the foul on Hauser.
Doncic with the step back from the top of the key and he drills it over Hauser!
The lead is up to 20 and the Celtics need a timeout with 6:35 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Doncic almost lost it, Kyrie chased it down and found Luka back down low for the foul and one! FT is good.
Gafford pulls down the offensive rebound, and White sends him to the line where he hits one of two FTs.
Brown spots up from the corner and drills a three ball over the defender!
Exum drills a three ball, and he's in the mood tonight! Is it going to be the Aussie who steps up in this must win game?
Brown to the line after the foul on Exum and he hits one of two FTs.
In the timeout, Exum's three was taken off the board after a review showed his heel was on the sideline.
Exum in the corner for three, and he's got 5 quick points in a minute and a half!
Mavs have their largest lead of the series, and BOS needs a timeout with 10:40 to go!
Exum off the bench and he tear drops it from down the lane.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!!
Tatum has 11 for Boston, but they are just 2/9 from three point range so far.
The Mavs are up 13 just like they were in the first quarter of last game. Can Kyrie who has 13 and Doncic who has 9 hold on to this early advantage?
Washington steps into a three ball on the wing off the feed from Irving! The lead is up to 13!
Irving answers back with a three ball of his own off the dribble!
White caught the ball off a jump ball with 1 on the shot clock and he jacks up a three that falls!
Green soars in to tip slam the missed three from Irving!
Tatum taking the contact on the way to the rim and he gets a friendly roll off the rim on the runner down the lane.
Doncic to the line after the foul on Horford and he hits one of two FTs.
Tatum off the dribble and he goes into the body of Lively before laying it up and in in practically in no space.
Doncic picks off Holiday, and then backs him down on the block before spinning and laying it up and in.
Doncic missed the third FT, but Irving gets into the paint and floats it up and in.
Timeout Celtics with 4:11 to go in the first quarter.
Doncic to the line after the foul on the three ball by Tillman and he hits two of three before BOS takes a timeout.
Jones off the dribble and he finishes with a double clutch reverse lay up! Watch out if he gets going. He's been off all series.
Luka back into the paint and he gets the friendly roll on the runner.
Tillman got the dump off on the baseline from Holiday and he gets the bucket and the foul. FT is good.
Irving drive baselne and lobs it up and in for Lively for the alley oop!
Lively let a three fly in the corner to a gasp from the crowd, AND HE DRILLS IT!!!
Bounce pass inside to Tatum from Tillman and he stretches to the rim for the finger roll.
Irving squeezes through traffic and lays it up and in with the left hand.
Timeout from DAL with 6:44 to go in the first quarter.
Doncic going back to the bucekt and he lays it up and in over White.
Brown slashes down the lane and Tatum hit the trailer for the lay up off the glass.
Doncic on the fader from the elbow and he hits it over Horford.
Tatum to the line after the foul on Washington and he hits both FTs.
Tatum laces a three ball from the wing and both of Boston's top dogs are on the board.
Brown on the baseline and he goes right at Gafford before finishing off the glass.
Doncic muscles his way to the bucket and finishes over White from down low.
Irving gets us going with a lay up down the lane after blowing past Holiday.
GAME 4 IS UNDERWAY FROM DALLAS!!!
Celtics starters
It's been working all postseason, so why switch it up now. Porzingis is on the bench but it's Al Horford starting against tonight for Joe Mazzulla. He is joined by Tatum, Brown, White and Hoiday. They know what's on the line. They know hard they have worked to get here. Now it's their time to bring the title back to Boston and become the first team to 18 NBA Championships.
Mavericks starting fives
The Dallas Mavericks are beyond the point of desperation. At the moment the priority is sparing themselves embarrassment. This is a pride game, in front of their home fans and they need this win. Not particularly for the series, not particularly for the Finals, but for themselves. It's Luka, Kyrie, Jones, Washington and Gafford to start Game 4 tonight.
Mazzulla not messing around
Forget about a gentleman's sweep. Joe Mazzulla was locked in during the pregame interviews. We all know how serious Mazzulla is, but if I'm being honest he does sound a little more relaxed then we are used to hearing him. No matter what his pregame voice it, once the tip off comes he's all business.
Luka reconnects with an old amigo
Look who is in the building! Luka's old buddy from his Real Madrid days came through to watch Game 4 in Dallas. Doncic was just a teenager when the two were bumping shoulders in the club's sports city Valdebebas. Ramos knows something about winning big games. Maybe he's sharing some insight to Luka and the Mavs who have their backs against the wall. Remember, Pep Guardiola was in Boston having pregame chats with Mazzulla. Both sides of El Clasico are being repped in the NBA Finals.
Larry is in the house
The Larry O’Brien Trophy is in the building tonight. With the Celtics a win away from the title, the precious piece of hardware that has eluded Boston for a decade and a half can finally be their’s. There is only one team that knows what it’s like to hoist the trophy as often as the Celtics, and that’s the Los Angeles Lakers with both teams locked at 17 championships. The rivalry needs no introduction, and the importance of breaking that tie needs no further emphasis. The Celtics are looking to get familiar with Mr. O’Briens trophy again, and here is your chance as well.
C's thinking Gentleman's Sweep?
It’s a difficult proposition for the Boston Celtics tonight in Dallas. They are up 3-0, and as we know, there has never been a team in the history of the league that has given up that lead. So, it leads us to the inevitable question. Would the Celtics rather lose this game tonight, and enjoy a gentleman’s sweep and a trophy celebration back in Boston? If you know Joe Mazzulla or have ever heard him speak, you know he is not about that nonsense. He will have his team ready to close out the series tonight. What is a gentleman’s sweep? So glad you asked. Our Jeffery May has more.
Porzingis available tonight
The hits keep coming for Kristaps Porzingis. After missing almost 40 days with a calf strain he suffered in the first round of the playoffs, he suffered a torn medial retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in Game 2. He didn’t play on Wednesday and Joe Mazzulla said the Latvian was fighting like hell to be ready for the potential close out game at American Airlines tonight. He is out on the court warming up, but the Celtics are only going to use him “in specific instances, if necessary.”
Brown pulling away
Through two games it was tough to tell who deserved the MVP of the Finals. With Jrue Holiday and Kristpas Porzingis headlining Games 1 and 2, and but in Game 3 Jaylen Brown pulled away from the pack in the MVP race. After being the most consistent Celtic in the opening games, he had just 6 points in the first half, but exploded for 24 in the second half and flirted with a triple double. Jason Kidd called Brown Boston’s best player, and he is proving that to be true. The Celtics coughed up a record breaking deal for Brown last offseason and he is delivering in the most important moment of the season. He won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and tonight he has a chance to wrap up the Finals MVP, and most importantly the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Kyrie and Luka aren't enough
What else can the Mavs do? We were calling for Kyrie to step up and rise to the moment in the series, and he did on Wednesday. It still wasn’t enough. The near miracle comeback he led in the fourth quarter could have been one of the greatest moments in NBA Finals history, but it was a just too little too late. That’s been the theme for the Mavs this series who have been held under 100 points in all three games. Tonight Kyrie needs to be as decisive as he was in Game 3, but the Dallas duo need a little bit of help from guys like PJ Washington and Derek Jones Jr.
Game 3 recap
For the first time in the series we saw all the stars play like stars in Game 3. Luka did his thing as he has for each and every game, but Kyrie finally made an appearance when his team needed it most. He had 20 in the first half and was going head to head with Jayson Tatum who, like Irving, finally had the kind of game we were expecting in the Finals. For the first two quarters, the lead went back and forth, but the Celtics hit their first six field goals coming out of the halftime break and went 14/20 from the field in the third quarter to stretch the lead out to 21 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Kyrie Irving would claw his team back from the dead and cut the deficit to just a point but Luka Doncic fouled out with over 4:00 to go and the Celtics would end up holding off the Mavs. Tatum had 31, Brown had 30, 8 and 8 to lead the C’s over Kyrie and Luka who had 62 combined points.
We are live from American Airlines Center
Hello everyone and welcome to Dallas where the Mavericks are trying to rebound after failing to come away with a must win game on Wednesday night. It looked like Dallas threw their best punch and the Celtics absorbed it and countered by landing the knockout blow in Game 3. Now Boston is just a win away from their 18th Larry O’Brien trophy, and have a 3-0 lead that has never been forfeited in the history of the NBA Playoffs. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic were both rolling last game, but it still wasn’t enough to beat the Celtics who were without Kristaps Porzingis. What else can the Mavs do? That’s what they are going to have to figure out tonight if they are going to live to fight another day.
Celtics vs. Mavs Game 4
The Larry O’Brien Trophy is in the building tonight and the Boston Celtics have a chance to be the ones hoisting it from American Airlines Center tonight. The Dallas Mavericks are up against a historically impossible task, and have a chance to extend the series and delay the seemingly inevitable with a win tonight. It’s Jaylen Brown and Boston Celtics taking Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks in an elimination game from Texas and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s Game 4.