Game 4 of the NBA Finals was how the Mavericks fans wanted their team to play every game of the series. The Mavericks players fought hard for every possession and made sure that the game was done and dusted by halftime itself. Everyone turned up big for the Mavericks as their season was on the line.
We will look at three reasons why the Mavericks could dominate the Boston Celtics in game 4 of the series.
1. Tatum looked lost
Jayson Tatum failed to stand out in a situation that was meant for him. I don’t mean to add insult to injury or to single out one player on a night when many others vanished. Tatum entered the game fresh off a 31-point performance, but he was unable to score even half of that in the fourth game.
In this series, Tatum hasn’t been particularly bad. Simply put, he hasn’t performed at the same level as the Celtic greats—Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Dave Cowens, Kevin McHale, etc.—in these championship scenarios.
2. Doncic hot start
Doncic set the tone, maybe motivated by a desire to make up for his mistakes from Game 3 when he fouled out and was badly exploited defensively. His first-half performance was the best of anyone in this series with 25 points, 4 assists, and a solid defense.
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3. Porzingis’s injury
After missing over a month due to injury, the 7-foot-3 center showed promise in his first two Finals games, but he was sidelined for a second straight game with a leg ailment. Porzingis was probably not going to see the field unless the situation demanded it of him. But he stayed put after the Celtics took a significant lead.
It would be preferable to give him a few more days before Game 5. Porzingis will only be used in “very specific instances if necessary,” according to Mazzulla. The Celtics were defeated 38–1. It wasn’t required.