Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks NBA Finals Game 4: Dallas 122, Boston 84, stats, highlights, analysis (2024)

Dallas just reminded everyone why they are in the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks are a very good team and came out and played with a desperation the Celtics did not come close to matching. Luka Doncic led the way with a dominant performance — 29 points, five rebounds and five assists, and those numbers would have been a lot higher if he had not been pulled with 1:29 left in the third quarter because the game was over. Kyrie Irving added 21 points and six assists.

Dallas cruised to a 122-84 win (it wasn’t that close) and now there will be a Game 5 Monday night in Boston.

The Mavericks got a great effort off the bench from Dereck Lively II, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds plus was a defensive force. Donte Exum had a good game with 15. Dallas they attacked the paint early and blew past a Boston defenders who did not bring that energy (knowing they had three more chances and could clinch at home).

More importantly for Dallas, this was the best Dallas defensive effort of the Finals, they were physical and active. Boston got 15 points from Tatum and he was the leading scorer in a disappointing effort.

Can Dallas bring that desperation on Monday night on the road? You can be sure the Celtics fans will lift up their heroes wanting to see a closeout.

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Game Update

Final from Dallas
Boston 84
Dallas 122

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Betting update: The Sportsbooks win again.

Most bet player props:
Jaylen Brown over 10.5 assists/rebounds (-115) - COASTER
Jaylen Brown over 4.5 assists (+110) - COASTER
Payton Pritchard over 3.5 points (+100) - CASHED
Luka Doncic over 32.5 points (-115) - COASTER
Kyrie Irving over 24.5 points (-115) - COASTER

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Game Update
We are 2:54 from Game 5 in Boston
Boston 77
Dallas 119

Odds Update
Dallas -38.5 | O/U: 207.5

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Game Update
8:01 Remaining in the Game
Boston Celtics 67
Dallas Mavericks 106

Odds Update
Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Spread: Mavs -34.5 | O/U: 205.5

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Game Update
3 Quarters in the Books
Boston Celtics 60
Dallas Mavericks 92

Brian Hamilton of NBC Sports wants the fourth quarter to be played in running time. Everyone is probably good with that.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Spread: Mavs -26.5 | O/U: 204.5

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With 3:18 left in the third, Joe Mazzulla has pulled his starters. That says it all.

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Game Update
3:18 Remaining in the 3rd Quarter
Boston Celtics 52
Dallas Mavericks 88

New largest lead of the game.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Spread: Mavs -29.5 | O/U: 204.5

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Game Update
5:29 Remaining in the 3rd Quarter
Boston Celtics 47
Dallas Mavericks 80

Not even sure what to write anymore. Did not see this coming. Great effort by Dallas, not so much by Boston.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks
Spread: Mavericks -25.5 | O/U: 201.5

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Game Update
8:38 left in third quarter
Boston Celtics 42
Dallas Mavericks 75

In my game preview, I predicted one team would let go of the rope in this game. Did not expect it to be Boston.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (NA) vs. Dallas Mavericks (NA)
Spread: Mavericks -25.5 | O/U: 205.5

You can no longer bet the Celtics or the Mavs on the moneyline tonight. It is that one-sided.

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Vaughn Dalzell betting Doncic is pulled early in this blowout.

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It was vintage Luka in the first half.

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How off was Boston in the second quarter?

• Zero points in the paint (0-of-6 shooting)
• Overall shooting: 18.8%
• Total points scored: 14
• Boston trails by 26 at the half
—Kurt Helin (@baksetballtalk)

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Game Update
Halftime
Boston Celtics 35
Dallas Mavericks 61

Lowest point total for Boston in a 1st Half this season

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (+1800) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-6500)
Spread: Mavs -19.5 | O/U: 199.5

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Boston had the best offense (statistically) in NBA history this season, a 122.2 offensive rating.

First half of Game 4: 76.1 offensive rating.
—Kurt Helin (@baksetballtalk)

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Game Update
3:47 left in the 1st Half
Boston Celtics 28
Dallas Mavericks 52

Luka Doncic is responding to his critics — 23 points in the first half, three assists, better defense, he has been the best player on the court by far.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (+1000) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-2100)
Spread: -17.5 | O/U: 202.5

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It’s really this simple: The desperate team is playing like it.

Dallas is winning every scramble for a loose ball, they are first to every rebound, the energy lacking in previous games is there.
—Kurt Helin (@baksetballtalk)

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Game Update
6:35 left in the 1st Half
Boston Celtics 25
Dallas Mavericks 45

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (+520) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-850)
Spread: Mavericks -12.5 | O/U: 203.5

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The pace and the athletic energy of a guy off the bench — Josh Green — sums up why Dallas is up 15 in the second quarter.

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Two big differences in Game 4 for the Mavericks:

1) Their defensive focus and energy are better, starting with Doncic (it helps Dallas is 2-of-9 from 3).

2) Dallas is getting into its offensive actions earlier, handling Boston’s pressure and getting downhill into the paint with time to make a kick-out and swing to the open man.
—Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk)

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Game Update
10:27 left in the 2nd Quarter

Boston Celtics 21
Dallas Mavericks 39

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (+380) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-580)
Spread: Mavs -11.5 | O/U: 212.5

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Game Update
End of first quarter
Dallas 34, Boston 21

Luka Doncic with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting plus much better defense, Kyrie with 9 on 4-of-7, and some bench energy from Dereck Lively and Josh Green for Dallas. That’s everything the Mavericks needed in the first quarter.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (-395) vs. Dallas Mavericks (+250)
Spread: Mavericks -8.5 | O/U: 213.5

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Dallas has gone on a 10-0 run and pushed their lead to double-digits — and they are doing it in inside, with 20 of their first 25 points coming in the paint.

It’s a good sign for Dallas, but they had a double-digit lead in the first quarter of Game 3 as well.
—Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk)
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Check out this sequence from Dereck Lively II — this is the spark Dallas needs.

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Game Update
4:11 left in the first quarter
Dallas 21, Boston 14
Derrick Lively with a spark off the bench for Dallas — a 3, then a block on the other end, then an alley-oop dunk. The Mavericks needed that.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (+145) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-190)
Spread: Mavs -4.5 | O/U: 213.5

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Game Update
6:44 left in the first quarter
Dallas 10, Boston 9

All 10 of the Mavericks points have come in the paint as they have attacked downhill. Boston has started 1-of-6 from 3.

Odds Update
Boston Celtics (-115) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-115)
Spread: Mavericks -1.5 | O/U: 207.5
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We are underway in Game 4!!!!

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Pregame, Jason Kidd preached the company line: We’re only thinking about Game 4.

“The talk is, you know, no different than 1, 2 or 3,” Kidd said. “We have a game plan. We’ve got to play faster. We’ve got to guard the three. The series numbers, I think we all understand what that is. So it’s not so much that we are going to harp on that but understanding that we’ve got to play 40 minutes of our best basketball tonight, and that’s what we’re talking about.”

It’s best to focus on just one game because a step back to look at the big picture gets scary:

The Celtics have not lost four straight since May of 2021.

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Luka Doncic got a special visitor before Game 3 — Spanish soccer legend Sergio Ramos, currently of Seville (formerly of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid).

If only Doncic could defend like Ramos.

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Think Jayson Tatum is ready?

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Celtics’ center Kristaps Porzingis will be available for Game 4, but in a “break glass only in case of emergency” situation.

“Yeah, he’s not quite there, but we’re going to make him available,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said pregame. “But we’re only going to use him in very specific instances if necessary.”

Don’t bet on seeing Porzingis out there, but it will be good for the team — and for KP — to have him on the bench. When he played in the first games of this series he was an absolute difference maker with his shooting, floor spacing and rim protection — he was the Celtics hero in Game 1 with 20 points off the bench. He has been out since near the end of Game 2 with a torn medial retinaculum, allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon.

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Latest betting odds for Game 4
Boston Celtics (-115) vs. Dallas Mavericks (-105)
Spread: Celtics -1 | O/U: 211

Most bet player props:
Jaylen Brown over 10.5 assists/rebounds (-115)
Jaylen Brown over 4.5 assists (+110)
Payton Pritchard over 3.5 points (+100)
Luka Doncic over 32.5 points (-115)
Kyrie Irving over 24.5 points (-115)

Looking for more betting insights, check out the latest picks from NBC Sports’ Vaughn Dalzell:

NBA Finals Game 4 Best Bets and Player Props: Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks

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If you want a more in-depth preview of Game 4, check out Kurt Helin’s three things to watch in Game 4.

Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Game 4 preview: Three things to watch for, injury news, odds

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Is tonight the night the Boston Celtics win banner No. 18, or do the Dallas Mavericks keep their season alive.

Boston has been clear-and-away the better team and lead the 2024 NBA Finals 3-0, with the Celtics’ depth of talent being the biggest difference (no offense to Jaylen Brown, who looks every bit the Finals MVP). It’s been a rough few games for Mavericks star Luka Doncic, but does he have one magical game in him?

Follow along with this live blog of Game 4 and see if Dallas can send this series back to Boston and prevent the sweep.

NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin will offer his perspective throughout the game and NBC Sports’ Betting Analysts Jay Croucher, Drew Dinsick, and Vaughn Dalzell will offer betting insights throughout as well.

Stay tuned throughout Game 4 as NBC Sports brings you the sights, sounds, stats, and betting markets from round four of Luka and Kyrie vs. Jaylen and Jayson.