After going down 3-0, the Dallas Mavericks flipped the script in Game 4, showing their abilities. They subdued the Boston Celtics’ dreams of bagging the 18th championship trophy by forcing them to return for the fifth game. However, much credit goes to their star, Luka Doncic, whose elite performance brought the Mavs back on track and earned him a historic feat.
Doncic knew he had to set the bar high from the first quarter, so it would become problematic for the Celtics to chase. Although he came under scrutiny for his poor defense, there is no doubt about the guard’s offensive abilities, and Doncic proved it again on Friday night by scoring 25 points in the opening half. With his massive contribution in the first half, Doncic now imprinted his name at the top of the Mavericks’ Finals history book by surpassing franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki’s 24-point record in the 2011 NBA Finals.
The Mavs established their dominance from the beginning of the game and continued it throughout. They outscored the Celtics in all four quarters and ended the night with a 122-84 victory.
Kyrie Irving stepped up for the team again, adding 21 points, four rebounds, and six assists to the win. Moreover, Dereck Lively II also displayed a phenomenal performance, chipping in 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Doncic kept setting new records.
Night of Records for Luka Doncic in Mavs Win
Luka Doncic unleashed his beasts and went all in for what could have been the Mavericks’ last game in the NBA Finals series. The 5-time All-Star guard finished with 29 points, three steals, five rebounds, and assists each by shooting 12/26 from the floor.
What was more impressive was the 25 points Doncic added to the scoreboard by the end of the first half. With this achievement, he joined teammate Kyrie Irving (2017) and NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon (1986) to become the third-youngest player in the history of the league to score 25 points or more in the opening half of an NBA Finals game at 25 years or less.
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The Mavericks must win all three games to bring home the championship. However, a slip in any game would end their hopes, giving the Celtics their 18th trophy. The Mavs must now visit the TD Garden to face the Cs for Game 5 on Monday.
