The Boston Celtics walked onto the floor at the start of Game 4 understandably thinking they were a couple hours away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. The opening minutes of the game felt a little disjointed, more befitting a summer run than the typical intensity of a Finals game. But the Dallas Mavericks quickly settled into their newfound freedom, ratcheted up their intensity in all the right ways and proceeded to blowout the Celtics. Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters with 3:18 remaining in the third quarter in an 88-52 game that mercifully went quickly from there with a 122-84 final score.
The Mavericks did everything a beat faster, better and more effectively than they had at any point before in the series. Three-point shots were falling that either weren’t previously going in, or weren’t even there to be attempted. The Mavericks contained the penetration from the Celtics that had led to their easy layups and three-pointers. When they were beat off the dribble, Dallas was faster in their rotations and had a greater overall attention to detail. The Celtics, meanwhile, were erratic and operated as though they merely had show up to beat the Mavericks and close out the series even though Games 2 and 3 were close, and Kristaps Porzingis is out indefinitely.
From the last minute of the first quarter into the middle of the second quarter, the Mavericks turned a modest 28-21 lead into a 50-25 blowout behind a 22-4 run. Boston scored only 35 points in the entire first half, which is their lowest output in any half over the past two seasons.
Daniel Gafford singled out Jayson Tatum to start the second half, getting to the line a couple times, converting a transition lob from Luka Doncic, and then blocking a three-point attempt from Tatum that led to the Boston star’s fourth foul. Boston’s chances of a comeback at halftime weren’t particularly high, but they dropped to zero quickly in the third.
After receiving widespread consternation for his belligerence and lack of self-control in Game 3, Doncic was intentional in maintaining his composure. Doncic scored 29 points in 33 minutes, going 12-for-18 on two-point shots, 5-for-7 on free throws, but 0-for-8 on three-pointers. Doncic did well on multiple occasions in isolation defense to stay in front of his man.
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If we really have arrived at an extended period of NBA parity, maybe we won’t be if Victor Wembanyama continues on his trajectory and the Spurs collect a baseline level of competence and coherence around him, but if we have reached that parity, we will continue to have novelty and churn with the Finals. The highs of our greatest Finals may not be reached again. If I just list the following five years, you can instantly recognize them as special and memorable. They each built upon something that came before it.
1984
1991
1998
2013
2016
The list of Finals results is a shorthand history of the league as a whole. The players who mattered most and how they performed in the most critical moments is comprehensively understood merely by reviewing the list of years and results. There will now be a randomness and weirdness that is captured and will be more challenging to explain. These series feel more like standalone episodes than tied to a broader narrative.
Since 2018 when the Warriors and Cavaliers faced off for their fourth consecutive Finals, we have not had a repeat matchup. During that six-year period from 2019 through this season, no team has reached the Finals more than twice and nine different teams in total have made it.
We also haven’t had a Finals extend to seven games since 2016 and the nostalgia for that series will continue to exponentially grow until there is a balancing of continuity and novelty.
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The Celtics and Mavericks more than likely won’t meet again in the 2025 Finals. The Western Conference will continue to be a gauntlet with four or five teams capable of reaching this stage, while Boston will be more strenuously tested in the East than they were this year. But in the meantime, we will get at least one more game between these two teams now.
The Mavericks may have figured something out against a Boston team playing without Porzingis. The Celtics certainly should win one out of the next three without Porzingis, but they are clearly not as special without him. Dallas gaining confidence against a compromised Celtics team can make a series that appeared to be over suddenly combustible.
The Celtics are taking an enormous risk letting the Mavericks get on a plane back to Boston. The Mavericks burned their boats and played better by playing freer. That lack of pressure the Mavericks are now enjoying will follow them on the road. Doncic also hasn’t played his signature game in this Finals yet. The type of game the Mavericks will win entirely because of his brilliance no matter how Boston plays. Does this series extend long enough for him to have that opportunity?