The odds remain overwhelmingly stacked against the Mavericks.
But for a few more days, they can still dream of a magical, historic escape to a championship.
Lika a prize fighter clinging to a puncher’s chance, the Mavericks gathered themselves Friday night in Game 4 of the NBA Finals and will live to fight at least one more time after they stopped Boston 122-84 at American Airlines Center to cut the Celtics’ lead in the series to 3-1.
It was the third-largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history.
Game 5 is Monday in Boston and the Celtics remain one win away from the franchise’s 18th NBA championship.
But now, at least the Mavericks have a pulse after they blew out the Celtics. Luka Dončić had 29 points in 32 minutes and never had to budge off the bench in the fourth quarter, when the Mavericks’ lead topped 40 points.
It sent the sellout crowd home happy, except for a fair number of green-clad Boston fans who no doubt were hoping for a celebration on the Mavericks’ home court.
“We had to play our A game,” coach Jason Kidd said. “It was this or we go on vacation. I thought the group did a great job of not pressing, letting the game happen.
“We made a stand. We were desperate. We got to continue to keep playing that way. They’re trying to find a way to close the door. The hardest thing in this league is to close the door when
you have a group that has nothing to lose. Tonight you saw that. They let go of the rope, you know, pretty early.”
Dončić was spectacular in the first half with 25 points. And his focus was strictly on basketball. He had very minimal, if any, interaction with the referees.
“It just helps out my team,” he said of not getting distracted by the officiating. “We were locked in, especially on the defensive end. I’m here to help them whenever I can. I just got to play like that.”
Kidd had come to the defense of his superstar point guard before the game. And afterward?
“I thought it was great. He was Luka. He’s been Luka,” Kidd said. “There wasn’t a different Luka out there. He’s been great. He’s one of the best players in the world. As much as we want to criticize, he’s a hell of a player.”
And Dončić remained grounded. He understands more than anybody that the Mavericks have a long way to go.
Asked where this leaves the Mavericks, he said: “It doesn’t change anything. It’s first to four. And we’re going to believe until the end. So we’re just going to keep going. I have big belief in this team.”
Especially when they have fun, something the Mavericks said after Game 3 that they wanted to get back. And in a first half that was practically flawless, they were smiling the whole way.
Their lead grew fast and it grew big, up to 50-25 in the second quarter. It was like a different Mavericks’ team from the first three games.
When the Mavericks got loose for a 73-40 lead early in the third quarter, they could start making reservations for some chowder and a lobster roll in Boston. When Dereck Lively II gave the crowd exactly what it wanted, a pair of throw-downs that pushed the score to 88-52, the rest was just for show. Mixed in was a three-pointer by Lively, the first one of his NBA career.
Kidd had been searching for another scorer to help out his superstars and he found one Friday in Dante Exum, who had seven important points in the first half as the Mavericks were making their getaway.
And Lively continued to play like a seasoned veteran with 11 points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes. He joined some dude named Magic Johnson as the only players 20 or younger to have multiple double-doubles in the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks crushed the Celtics on the boards, 52-31.
Said Luka of Lively’s first three-pointer: “Big time, man. I think people forget he’s a rookie doing this stuff. Watching him grow is unbelievable. It’s fun having him out there.”
And the wise-bey0nd-his-years Lively had a measured response to the Mavericks’ first victory in the series.
“I’m not comfortable,” he said. “We got to have a lot more wins.”
In that respect, Kyrie Irving has been the settling influence for the Mavericks. He had 21 points in Game 4.
“We waited until Game 4 to ultimately play our best game — it took long enough for all of us to get to the party and play for each other the way we did tonight,” Irving said. “I’m just grateful we have another chance to extend the season.
“We have another opportunity to extend the series. And that’s all we can ask for. We handled our business. But the job is still an uphill battle. We understand that.”
He also had a moment of pride about the way Luka handled the naysayers from Game 3.
“I think he made a few people eat their words,” Irving said, “in a healthy way. He responded very well and I expected it.”
It all makes you wonder where this sort of execution and passion was in the first three games, two of which the Mavericks were not far from winning.
On Friday, it was a combination of Dončić and a defense that seemed to grow fangs overnight.
But mostly, it was Dončić.
It was as if he had a point to prove after he was called out by some national media members for his defensive shortcomings and for fouling out in Game 3.
Kidd came to Luka’s defense before Game 4.
“What’s come out here in the last day or so, if you’ve watched the Mavs, Luka has improved his defense,” Kidd said. “But when your on the biggest stage – someone’s got to poke a hole.
“This will only make the great ones better. With LeBron (James), Michael (Jordan), the greats, they all were poked at and they came back stronger and better. I truly believe Luka will come back stronger and better.”
Dončić needs no one to fight his battles. But he responded with a well-rounded game that had all the earmarks of somebody trying to make a statement.
“He didn’t say anything to me, but that speaks a lot about him,” Luka said of the public remarks of Kidd before the game. “He always has the players’ backs.”
In addition to his points, he had three steals and despite missing all eight of his three-pointers, he never let his emotions drift.
Add it up and it’s the Mavericks who now have a glimmer of hope, knowing the Celtics want no part of a return to Dallas for Game 6 next Thursday, if the Mavericks can pull of the Game 5 win in Boston.
X: @ESefko
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