DALLAS — The situation is bleak for the Dallas Mavericks. They trail the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the NBA Finals, and no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit and won the series in 156 previous attempts.
“You talk about playing Game 4. That’s it,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said, adding, “Again, just taking one possession at a time, controlling what you can control, your effort and energy, and just winning the minutes when you’re out there. That’s all we’ve talked about (Thursday), and that’s what we’ll talk about (Friday).
There have been nine sweeps in Finals history, Golden State over Cleveland in 2018 being the most recent, and 14 previous times when a team took a 3-0 lead in the Finals. The Denver Nuggets had a 3-0 series lead against the Miami Heat in last year’s Finals and eliminated the Heat in five games.
Here are odds and USA TODAY Sports staff predictions for Game 4:
NBA Finals Game 4 Mavericks-Celtics predictions
Mike Freeman, USA TODAY: Mavericks 101, Celtics 98
Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: Mavericks 106, Celtics 104
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: Mavericks 106, Celtics 97
Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY: Celtics 110, Mavs 99
(Series predictions from USA TODAY staffers)
Why Celtics will win Game 4
Quarter by quarter, game by game, the Celtics are proving just how tough they are to beat with their offensive and defensive versatility. They have scorers that put pressure on the defense, and they have defenders that make getting points very difficult for the Mavs. They overwhelm the Mavs with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard and — when healthy — Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics sense the moment.
Why Mavericks will win Game 4
Dallas keeps getting a little closer to a victory. It has just had trouble finishing the job. It’s going to take high-scoring efforts from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, plus they need a third scorer to get a little closer to 20 points. The Mavs have shown they can play with the Celtics in stretches. This is when they turn those learning experiences into a Finals victory.
NBA Finals Game 4 odds Celtics-Mavericks
Moneyline
Celtics: -115
Mavericks: -105
Spread
Celtics: -1.5
Over-under
Over 211.5: -110
Under 211.5: -110
How to watch Game 4 of the NBA Finals
Game 4 of Mavericks-Celtics is Friday, June 14, on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET, with streaming on the ESPN app. Streaming also available on fubo.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Finals 2024: Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 4 predictions, odds