The Dallas Mavericks kept their NBA Championship dreams alive with a remarkable 122-84 Game 4 win, inspired by Luka Doncic, marking the third-largest blowout in NBA Finals history. Doncic’s impressive 29 points, with 25 scored in the first half setting a franchise record, helped the Mavericks cut the series deficit to 3-1, pushing it to a fifth game in Boston on Monday night, broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ at 01:30am BST.
This 38-point victory margin is only surpassed by the Chicago Bulls’ 96-54 win over the Utah Jazz in 1998 and the Celtics’ 131-92 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd praised his team’s readiness and determination, emphasizing the challenge of closing out a series against a desperate opponent.
Kyrie Irving contributed 21 points, Dereck Lively II achieved a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 points in the fourth quarter. Lively, scoring his first career three-pointer in the first quarter, became the youngest player to secure a double-double in NBA Finals history at 20 years old and the only rookie with a +20 points differential in the Finals.
Despite the historic win, Dallas still faces a daunting task as no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, although four teams have forced a Game 7. The Celtics struggled from the start, trailing by 13 points after the first quarter and falling behind by as much as 48 points in the fourth quarter, marking their worst loss in Finals history. Coach Joe Mazzulla was surprised by the defeat following a strong start to the series and a 10-game postseason winning streak.
For Boston, Jayson Tatum led with 15 points, followed by Sam Hauser with 14, and Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday each with 10. Doncic, the standout performer, remained focused and optimistic about the series, emphasizing his belief in the team.
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