NBA Finals Game 4: Boston Celtics on the verge of three wins and championship in 16 years
Boston, having completed their regular season with the most impressive record of 64-18, has continued their winning streak with 15 victories in the postseason. They now enter the NBA Finals with a remarkable run of 10 consecutive wins. Although no team has ever managed to come back from a 3-0 deficit, they are currently giving it their best shot against the Dallas Mavericks, who trail 0-3.
In Game 3 of the Finals, franchise standouts Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stepped up their game, delivering a combined 60 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Tatum bounced back from unimpressive performances in the first two games, scoring 30 points, while Brown contributed 30 points along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
Arguably the Celtics' most valuable player in the Finals has been Jrue Holiday, who has been exceptional on the defensive end against Kyrie Irving. His defensive consistency has proved instrumental, and his offensive contributions have been no less significant. In Game 2, he scored 26 points and managed 11 rebounds.
Derrick White shared his admiration for Holiday: "Jrue is just everywhere. It's unreal. I'm trying to learn as much as I can from him, and he's been just when you think you've got an opening, unreal."
Luka Dončić has been a hot topic after his defensive performance in the Finals, or rather, the lack of it. The slovakian superstar has struggled to contain opponents, resulting in wide open shots for the Celtics. Unfortunately for the Mavs, this has led to easy scoring opportunities throughout the playoffs.
Despite his brilliant offensive output, Dončić has been pressured heavily by the Celtics' well-orchestrated plays. His defensive frailties were on full display during Game 3 when he fouled out with more than four minutes left on the clock, at a pivotal moment when Dallas was showing signs of a comeback.
Struggling to contain the Celtic offense, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has yet to find a solution to this problem. Any adjustments Kidd chooses to make in Game 4 will seem like too little, too late.
Irving, after a rough start in the Finals going 0-8 from three in Games 1 and 2, regained his confidence with 35 points in Game 3 and drained four of his six three-point attempts. The Mavericks will need a strong performance from both Irving and Dončić if they wish to take the series back to Boston for a fifth match.
Commenting on his advice to Dončić, teammate Irving stated, "You just got to let it breathe a little bit. Let the human emotions come out. Just give him a hug. That's it, man. It's easy to point the finger and say, ‘He could be better’. But I think he knows that. And yeah, it's just reiterating that I have his back, we all have his back."
An unfazed Dončić declared, "It's not over until it's over. We just got to believe."
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The Boston Celtics relied heavily on Jrue Holiday's defensive prowess in the NBA Finals, with his consistent performance proving instrumental against opponents like Kyrie Irving. Despite facing defensive struggles, Luka Doncičić continues to excel offensively, scoring points despite wide-open shots being presented due to his defensive lapses.
