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The Dallas Mavericks are well on their way to forcing a Game 5 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
After entering Friday down 3-0, Dallas leads Boston 61-35 at halftime thanks to a lockdown defensive effort that has the Celtics shooting 29.7% from the field. Luka Dončić leads all scorers with 25 points, while Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with 15.
Those 35 points are the fewest points the Celtics have scored in any half under head coach Joe Mazzulla.
26 points might sound like an insurmountable lead, but the Mavericks nearly erased a 21-point lead in the span of eight minutes in Game 3. With how the Celtics have played at times this postseason, a comeback is not out of the realm of possibility. Boston also did not play Kristaps Porzingis at all in the first half, despite the big man being available “if necessary.”
If the Mavericks hold on for the win, the series will head back to Boston for Game 5 on Monday. If the Celtics mount an enormous comeback, they’ll celebrate their record 18th NBA championship, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers, and their first title since 2008.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports NBA experts Jake Fischer, Vincent Goodwill and Dan Devine for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Live52 updates
Sat, June 15, 2024 at 4:31 AM GMT+2
NBA Finals garbage time
And just under two minutes later, just after launching a wedgie, Luka checks out, too. Kyrie and Lively join him with the Mavs up by 35. Let’s all settle in for 14 minutes of NBA Finals garbage time!
Sat, June 15, 2024 at 4:30 AM GMT+2
Celtics put up the white flag
Boston is emptying its bench with 3:18 to play in the third. Oshae Brisset, Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk join Hauser and Pritchard. This one is going back to Boston, folks.
Sat, June 15, 2024 at 4:27 AM GMT+2
Have the Mavs found something?
Dallas has enjoyed a ton of success tonight with this Luka-Kyrie-Josh Green-Maxi-Lively lineup. Two bigs, Green’s hyperactivity getting downhill, switchable defense. Lot of utility out of this unit on both ends.
Sat, June 15, 2024 at 4:27 AM GMT+2
Lively on the boards
Dereck Lively II’s seven offensive rebounds tonight are the most the Celtics have…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/live/boston-celtics-dallas-mavericks-nba-finals-2024-game-4-luka-doncic-kristaps-porzingis-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-230028635.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-06-14 23:00:28
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