The duckboats will have to wait – at least for now.
The Mavericks steamrolled the Celtics 122-84 in Game 4 on Friday, preventing Boston of securing a sweep.
Luka Doncic fueled the Mavericks with 29 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, playing by far his best defense of the series. Kyrie Irving added 21 points and six assists and energizer Dereck Lively II contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 15 and Sam Hauser added 14, but Boston looked discombobulated and out of sorts nearly the entire way. Jrue Holiday finished minus-38, Tatum minus-33 and Derrick White minus-29. It was as brutal as it sounds, if not worse.
Dallas jumped out to an early 21-14 lead, relying on Doncic’s brilliance and contributions from Lively and Derrick Jones Jr. Tatum kept the Celtics afloat, scoring 11 points in the quarter, but Dallas built a 34-21 edge through 1.
Boston shot 38.1 percent from the floor, 22.2 percent from 3 and grabbed just six rebounds. Compare that to 58.3 percent, 42.9 percent and 16 rebounds for Dallas, and a 13-point deficit felt about right.
The lead ballooned to 25 midway through the half, and the Mavericks led, 61-35, at halftime.
It was the fewest points Boston has scored in a half in the playoffs or regular season under Joe Mazzulla.
A locked-in Luka Doncic is one hell of a player. His 25 points are the most ever in a Finals half by a Maverick, surpassing that German guy sitting courtside. Also had 3 rebounds, 4 assists and played by far his best defense of the series.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 15, 2024
The percentages dipped to 29.7 and 26.3, and the rebound margin was 29-13 in Dallas’ favor. The Mavericks had 34 points in the paint and did just about whatever they wanted at the rim.
To put it lightly, it was quite possibly the Celtics’ worst half of the entire season.
Jaylen Brown was 3 for 10 with three fouls. Holiday was 1 for 6 and minus-28. White was 1 for 5. Al Horford didn’t attempt a shot. Doncic poured in 25 points, and essentially nothing went the Celtics’ way. Tatum was fine offensively, but he finished minus-25.
Just about everything that could have gone wrong did. If you had a family event you couldn’t get out of, it worked out in your favor.
Tatum picked up his third and fourth fouls in the first two minutes of the half.
The action looked like the Globetrotters vs. Generals, as the Mavericks straight up embarrassed the Celtics. Mazzulla pulled the starters with 3:08 left in the third and the Mavericks up 36.
The 84 Celtics lost to the Lakers by 33 to go down 2-1 in the Finals. I can’t imagine how people would have reacted had Twitter existed then.
The Celtics will go home up 3-1 in the Finals. The Celtics get a chance to win a title on their home floor. It’s really not that bad https://t.co/qlSPneFSli
— John Karalis (@John_Karalis) June 15, 2024
Luke Kornet forced Doncic into a wedgie (a rare highlight) before Doncic checked out with 1:29 left in the third. The Mavericks led, 92-60, through three, and the fourth quarter was just a formality.
The Celtics never had a chance in this one.
The ultimate goal is still right in front of them. Game 5 is Monday night in Boston.
