The duckboats must wait – at the least for now.
The Mavericks steamrolled the Celtics 122-84 in Sport 4 on Friday, stopping Boston of securing a sweep.
Luka Doncic fueled the Mavericks with 29 factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals, enjoying by far his finest protection of the sequence. Kyrie Irving added 21 factors and 6 assists and energizer Dereck Full of life II contributed 11 factors and 12 rebounds.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 15 and Sam Hauser added 14, however Boston appeared discombobulated and out of kinds almost your entire manner. Jrue Vacation completed minus-38, Tatum minus-33 and Derrick White minus-29. It was as brutal because it sounds, if not worse.
Dallas jumped out to an early 21-14 lead, counting on Doncic’s brilliance and contributions from Full of life and Derrick Jones Jr. Tatum stored the Celtics afloat, scoring 11 factors within the quarter, however Dallas constructed a 34-21 edge by way of 1.
Boston shot 38.1 % from the ground, 22.2 % from 3 and grabbed simply six rebounds. Examine that to 58.3 %, 42.9 % and 16 rebounds for Dallas, and a 13-point deficit felt about proper.
The lead ballooned to 25 halfway by way of the half, and the Mavericks led, 61-35, at halftime.
It was the fewest factors Boston has scored in a half within the playoffs or common season underneath Joe Mazzulla.
A locked-in Luka Doncic is one hell of a participant. His 25 factors are essentially the most ever in a Finals half by a Maverick, surpassing that German man sitting courtside. Additionally had 3 rebounds, 4 assists and performed by far his finest protection of the sequence.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 15, 2024
The chances dipped to 29.7 and 26.3, and the rebound margin was 29-13 in Dallas’ favor. The Mavericks had 34 factors within the paint and did nearly no matter they needed on the rim.
To place it calmly, it was fairly presumably the Celtics’ worst half of your entire season.
Jaylen Brown was 3 for 10 with three fouls. Vacation was 1 for six and minus-28. White was 1 for five. Al Horford didn’t try a shot. Doncic poured in 25 factors, and primarily nothing went the Celtics’ manner. Tatum was tremendous offensively, however he completed minus-25.
Nearly the whole lot that would have gone flawed did. In the event you had a household occasion you couldn’t get out of, it labored out in your favor.
Tatum picked up his third and fourth fouls within the first two minutes of the half.
The motion appeared just like the Globetrotters vs. Generals, because the Mavericks straight up embarrassed the Celtics. Mazzulla pulled the starters with 3:08 left within the third and the Mavericks up 36.
The 84 Celtics misplaced to the Lakers by 33 to go down 2-1 within the Finals. I am unable to think about how folks would have reacted had Twitter existed then.
The Celtics will go house up 3-1 within the Finals. The Celtics get an opportunity to win a title on their house ground. It is actually not that unhealthy https://t.co/qlSPneFSli
— John Karalis (@John_Karalis) June 15, 2024
Luke Kornet compelled Doncic right into a wedgie (a uncommon spotlight) earlier than Doncic checked out with 1:29 left within the third. The Mavericks led, 92-60, by way of three, and the fourth quarter was only a formality.
The Celtics by no means had an opportunity on this one.
The final word objective continues to be proper in entrance of them. Sport 5 is Monday night time in Boston.
