Going into NBA Game 4 Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, the vibe was basically a funeral. Boston was up 3-0. No team in the history of the league had ever come back from that. Most of us were just waiting for the confetti to fall so we could start arguing about where Jayson Tatum ranks in the top ten. But then Friday night happened.
Dallas didn't just win. They dismantled the Celtics 122-84.
Honestly, it was a bloodbath. A 38-point margin is the third-largest win in NBA Finals history. It’s the kind of game that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the series. Was Boston bored? Did Dallas finally figure out how to play defense? Or was it just one of those "perfect storm" nights where one team couldn't miss and the other couldn't hit the ocean from the beach?
What Really Happened in NBA Game 4 Finals
The Mavericks played like their summer vacations depended on it. Because, well, they did.
Luka Doncic, who had been roasted by every talking head on ESPN for his "defensive effort" in Game 3, came out like a man possessed. He dropped 25 points in the first half alone. He finished with 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 33 minutes. But the scoring wasn't even the biggest story. It was the fact that he actually looked engaged on the other end of the floor.
The Numbers That Don't Make Sense
If you looked at the box score without seeing the final result, you’d think it was a glitch. Boston, a team that basically lived at the three-point line all season, shot a miserable 36.3% from the field. They looked rattled.
Dallas absolutely owned the glass. They outrebounded Boston 52-31. That’s not just a stat; that’s a statement about who wanted the ball more. Dereck Lively II, the rookie who has been a revelation, put up 11 points and 12 rebounds. He joined Magic Johnson as the only players to have multiple double-doubles in the Finals before turning 21.
- First Quarter: Dallas 34, Boston 21.
- Halftime Score: Dallas 61, Boston 35 (Fewest points in a half for Boston all year).
- Third Quarter: The lead ballooned to 38.
- Fourth Quarter: Pure garbage time. Tim Hardaway Jr. came in and hit five triples just for fun.
Kyrie Irving finally got some revenge against his former team, chipping in 21 points. It wasn't his most explosive night, but he didn't need to be Superman because the Celtics' offense was essentially non-existent. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for only 25 points on 7-of-22 shooting. That's usually a single-quarter output for those two.
Why the Blowout Was a Statistical Anomaly
Usually, when a team is up 3-0, they might let go of the rope a little bit. But this was different. Boston looked like they were running through mud.
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Coach Joe Mazzulla eventually pulled the starters with over three minutes left in the third quarter. It was a white flag. He knew. We all knew. The 122-84 final was more about Dallas’s desperation meeting Boston’s complacency.
The Mavericks dominated the paint, outscoring the Celtics 60-26 inside. That is an insane disparity for a Finals game. It highlighted how much Boston missed Kristaps Porzingis, who was sidelined with that weird "torn medial posterior tibialis tendon" injury. Without his rim protection, Dallas treated the restricted area like an open gym.
The Role Player Surge
We have to talk about Dante Exum and P.J. Washington. While the stars get the headlines, the Mavs' role players finally showed up. Exum provided a spark off the bench early, hitting a three and playing sticky defense.
On the flip side, Sam Hauser was actually the second-leading scorer for Boston with 14 points. When Sam Hauser is your most reliable offensive weapon in a close-out game, you’re in deep trouble.
Lessons for Future Finals Matchups
You can't take much from a 38-point win in terms of "momentum" for the next game, but you can see the blueprint. Dallas showed that if they play physical and win the rebounding battle, they can disrupt the Celtics' flow.
- Rebounding is Effort: You don't get outrebounded by 21 because of a height disadvantage; you get outrebounded because you're tired or unfocused.
- Luka's Defense: When Doncic tries, he’s a massive body that’s hard to get around. His effort in Game 4 proved his defensive "lapses" are often about fatigue and choice rather than ability.
- The Bench Matters: Dallas finally got production from their depth. In the first three games, it felt like Luka and Kyrie vs. the world.
The Mavericks didn't win the series that night, but they saved face. They proved they belonged on that stage, even if the hill was too steep to climb.
To really understand the impact of a game like this, you have to look at the betting lines for the following game. Despite the blowout, Vegas still had Boston as heavy favorites for Game 5. It shows that while a single game can be a masterpiece, a series is a marathon.
If you're looking to break down your own local league games or just want to track player efficiency like the pros, start by focusing on "Points in the Paint" and "Rebounding Margin." Those two metrics told the whole story of Game 4. You can also watch the full replay on NBA League Pass to see exactly how Dallas manipulated the Celtics' pick-and-roll coverage.