Check the Game 4 flow chart over at NBA.com and the growing lead for the Mavericks looks like a tidal wave gaining size and momentum. It got bad in the first quarter then worse by halftime then nearly the worst loss in NBA Finals history.
Open up the box score and there are some glaring statistical anomalies that tell the story of the Celtics’ 39-point loss in their first chance to close out the Mavericks.
There’s the monstrous twenty-six rebounding edge that Dallas muscled for 16 second chance points. Dereck Lively II alone had seven offensive rebounds and three loud dunks.
There was the parade of layups from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic to the tune of 60 points in the paint to Boston’s 26.
And after the Celtics successfully kept the Mavericks to single digits in 3-point makes in the first three games, Dallas exploded for 15-of-37 from behind the arc on Friday night.
“We had to play our A game. It was this or we go on vacation. I thought the group did a great job of not pressing and letting the game happen — the flow was there,” head coach Jason Kidd said after his team scored over 100 points for the first time in the Finals. “We’ve done this in the first three games; it’s just we haven’t been able to capitalize. We’ve made the mistakes and they’ve capitalized. They shot the 3 well. We tried to keep them off the free throw line tonight and not give them second opportunities.”
In a lopsided loss like this, it’s easy to blame intangibles like focus or the pressure of the moment. Head coach Joe Mazzulla seemed hesitant at first to admit that, instead crediting Dallas as the better team.
“I mean, you can definitely take some things from it. At the same time, I thought Dallas played great,” Mazzulla said of simply burning Game 4’s tape and focusing on Monday night. “Give a lot of credit to them. All their guys, whoever went in. Well balanced. They played with a ton of energy and physicality, and you got to give them that. They’re a great team. That’s the reason why they’re here.”
Through Games 1 to 3, the Celtics were able to keep the Mavs’ role players in check while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving did most of the heavy lifting. The Dallas duo combined for 50 points on 50% shooting (22-of-44), but the floodgates finally opened for their teammates. Lively II had a double-double. Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington, Dante Exum, Jaden Harden, and Maxi Kleber caught fire from 3, hitting 7-of-12.
However, the biggest difference for Big D was their D.
“They did a great job flying around, making us indecisive on whether to shoot it, drive it, on multiple possessions,” Mazzulla said. “And I thought their 5 men did a great job protecting the paint. Every time we went in for a layup, they had multiple guys contest.”
Ultimately, the Mavericks played like a team with their backs against a wall and the best defensive squad in the final fifteen games of the regular season. And frankly, that’s going to be their mindset until Boston clinches the championship.
For the worrying Celtics fan, the question is whether this was just a matter of circumstances and effort or has Dallas figured something out schematically. Despite the 3-1 lead, Boston is now a -6 for the series which includes a +25 with Kristaps Porzingis on the floor and a -31 off it. And while he was technically available to play under “specific instances” in Game 4, it’s probably unlikely he’ll be on the parquet for Game 5.
Boston doesn’t seem too concerned with their offense even after scoring just 84 points, their lowest total of the entire year.
“I thought we got a lot of good shots. I thought a lot of them didn’t fall,” Jrue Holiday said after the team shot just 36.2% from the field and 14-of-41 from 3.
But pressed on what really was the issue in the potential close out game, the team pointed to effort.
“It wasn’t as good as Dallas’ was. I thought theirs was a lot better,” Mazzulla said.
“I think it starts on the defensive end for us. We didn’t get that many stops, so they were allowed to set their defense up,” Jayson Tatum said. “Just naturally, when you’re scoring at a high rate, you feel good about yourself, your energy is higher, you tend to probably play better defense.”
Tatum continued, “I think this was the most stagnant that we’ve been this series and the worst job of owning our space on the offensive end. We did a great job of that in the first three games, and in this one, we didn’t.”
The Mavericks went on runs of 26-10, 22-10, and 23-7. The Celtics didn’t seem to have answers during the game or afterwards. When asked about how the game got away from them so quickly, Brown replied, “I don’t even know how to answer that. Next question.”
“These are the moments that can make you or break you”
Jaylen Brown talks leadership after a blowout loss in Game 4 pic.twitter.com/krsUJXSPG7
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 15, 2024
In the end, it’s just one game and the Celtics will have a chance to raise the Larry O’Brien again in Game 5 back in front of their fans in TD Garden.
“I think it’s going to be as loud as it’s ever been in my seven years of being a Celtic,” Tatum said. “I’m excited to go back home, celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday, and compete for a championship on Monday. It should be a lot of fun.”
Boston has responded to bad losses throughout the year. After a deflating overtime loss in Golden State, the Celtics won the next three on their California road trip through Sacramento and Los Angeles. Two home losses to the Clippers and Lakers in Boston was met with an eleven-game winning streak to close out February. After both home losses in Game 2 of the first and second round, the Celtics gentlemen-swept the Heat and Cavaliers.
They’ll have a similar opportunity on Monday night.
“We learn from it. We take it. We don’t dismiss it. We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to see how and why and exactly where the game was won and loss,” Brown said. “And then we take those experiences and we come out and play like our life depends on it because it does.”
