Celtics (3-0) at Mavericks (0-3) NBA Finals Game #4 6/14/24

[jpotter33]

The Mavs players said they figured out this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of game 3 and tonight. What adjustments did you see that reflects this?

None. I saw Boston playing poorly with zero effort or energy.

Was their adjustment to actually play hard on defense, particularly LUka? Because that's the only thing I saw tonight and pretty much the same thing in Game 3 with us letting our foot off the gas.

We'll probably blow them out and have our one lights out game from three on Monday - reminiscent of 2008 game 6 against LAL!

[liam]

Hauser was our best player tonight.

[Muzzy66]

The Mavs players said they figured out this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of game 3 and tonight. What adjustments did you see that reflects this?

They are just trying to find a way to convince themselves that they have a chance.  They didnt figure out anythign and they didnt adjust anything.  The Mavs just played with the desperation you expect to see from a team with it's back against the wall, and the Celtics played like a team who believed the series was already over. 

The Celtics looked genuinely shocked that the Mavs actually put up a fight.  They were missing wide open layups and jumpers, letting passes slip through their hands, throwing cross court passes straight to opposing players, standing around on defence, getting outrebounded when they had a 3-1 advantage in the paint.  They looked like they got out of bedc this morning but never actually woke up.

[celticinorlando]

The Mavs players said they figured out this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of game 3 and tonight. What adjustments did you see that reflects this?

None. I saw Boston playing poorly with zero effort or energy.

Was their adjustment to actually play hard on defense, particularly LUka? Because that's the only thing I saw tonight and pretty much the same thing in Game 3 with us letting our foot off the gas.

We'll probably blow them out and have our one lights out game from three on Monday - reminiscent of 2008 game 6 against LAL!

I will be shocked if we see this kind of performance out of Boston again. Nothing refocuses you like being humbled.

[celticinorlando]

The Celtics, in their Finals history, have lost six times by 20 or more points. In the ensuing game, Boston is 5-1.

1963, L by 20, W 108-105
1964, L by 24, W 98-95
1965, L by 21, W 112-99
1984, L by 33, W 129-125
1985, L by 25, W 107-105
2010, L by 22, L 83-79

[jpotter33]

The Mavs players said they figured out this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of game 3 and tonight. What adjustments did you see that reflects this?

None. I saw Boston playing poorly with zero effort or energy.

They did a [dang] good job on Brown. C?s missed KP tonight finally.

Brown just looked shell-shocked with the complete change of intensity when he couldn't get past his man.

I will say that's the only other real adjustment I noted - putting Washington on Brown instead of Tatum. That may also be why Tatum looked much more aggressive and better getting to the rim.

They'll adjust in Boston, especially when their own energy is ramped up now playing in front of a raucous crowd.

[SparzWizard]

I don?t think Game 5 is guaranteed, we all know what Luka will try to do. This series won?t get to 7 though I promise you that.

Game 5 is not guaranteed. Game 6 is not guaranteed. Game 7 is definitely not guaranteed.

[celticinorlando]

I don?t think Game 5 is guaranteed, we all know what Luka will try to do. This series won?t get to 7 though I promise you that.

Game 5 is not guaranteed. Game 6 is not guaranteed. Game 7 is definitely not guaranteed.

They have no chance man. Fold up the franchise.

[Kuberski33]

Hauser was our best player tonight.

That is one thing that I hope will carry over to game 5. They could use him on his game.

[SparzWizard]

The Mavs players said they figured out this Celtics team in the 4th quarter of game 3 and tonight. What adjustments did you see that reflects this?

Pack the paint. Getting their role players involved. Kyrie playing hounding defense on Tatum. Mavs team defense.

[scaryjerry]

Enjoy it Dallas. Your time is coming Monday.

If we do close out on game 5, i think JT can sneakily eke out JB as finals MVP?

Who cares?
And no I don?t give Tatum any credit or edge over anybody for putting up 15 points in a 30 point finals loss.

I absollutely give him credit - because unlike JB and the rest of the starters he at least looked like he cares about winning the game.  Nobody else does.

Nah, Tatum folded mentally early, like 1st quarter early.  Getting frustrated by the refs, not getting back on D. He might have been the 1st to quit tonight, followed by Jaylen, followed by everybody else.

Yeah I just can?t with the Tatum-centric Celtics fans.

He was abysmal tonight. Bricking step back 3s, bricking layups and complaining way too much and mentally folded almost immediately.
Brown clearly had a bad game too but I?m not giving Tatum a bump up in the mvp ranking over this. That?s insane.

Everyone was abysmal tonight. Flush it and move on.

I agree. Exactly why it?s insane to move around finals mvp rankings based on anything from that garbage. Tatum hasn?t shot well or been efficient offensively a single game In these finals including tonight

Tatum at least hasn't had a complete stinker of a game in the entire playoffs like Brown did tonight.  10 points on 3-12 shooting, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers in 27 minutes and his defence has been non-existent.  That could be the worst individual game of Jaylen Brown's entire career. 

Tatum has 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists 1 steal and 2 blocks in the same 27 minutes but that doesn't even tell the full story.  He's been very clearly mauled on multiple shot attempts that never got called, and he's made mutliple good passes to teammates who have bricked open shots and layups.  He should be on 20, 5 and 6 right now if the refs and his teamates did their jobs.

Tatum has actually had a perfectly respectable game tonight.  Hauser also has been good - he's played hard on D and is showing genuine effort.  Nobody else has shown up at all.  There is no way Jaylen Brown can play like this when 100% healthy in close out finals game and get an MVP trophy for it.  This game instantly disqualifies him.

So Tatum had 5/4/1 more then jaylen browns worst game of his entire career and you?re about to swing the mvp because of it, in a 40 point loss no less?
Tatum was abysmal tonight and he?s been inefficient offensively the entire playoffs, is he even a good shooter at this point?

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Well, that was an abomination, an evisceration, a total blood bath. Not an outcomes I'd considered possible, even in my darkest dreams.

I don't know if being on the verge of a title got them flustered, or if they let the talk of sweeping and being "one of the greatest teams ever" get to their heads, or if it was something else, but it's to be hoped that they never repeat that performance.

I'm sure there were a lot of factors at play, but one thing I noticed is that Boston was totally owned on the hustle plays?they weren't grabbing loose balls, and they weren't winning the boards.

Well, at least now we'll have the chance to see them clinch at home!

[Billz401]

Did anyone catch the free throw and foul discrepancy at the end of the 3rd before the garbage time 4th qtr make up fouls Scott Foster and crew decided to call? Interested to see what those numbers looked like because they ended the game 13 to 22 free throw advantage mavs fouls 19 bos to 17 mavs so still pretty lopsided as far as the FT go

[scaryjerry]

The Celtics, in their Finals history, have lost six times by 20 or more points. In the ensuing game, Boston is 5-1.

1963, L by 20, W 108-105
1964, L by 24, W 98-95
1965, L by 21, W 112-99
1984, L by 33, W 129-125
1985, L by 25, W 107-105
2010, L by 22, L 83-79

Means virtually nothing and will have 0 impact on Monday nights game

[celts55]

Had to go to a party with my wife tonight. I wasn?t happy about it at all. Now I feel much better.
Monday night baby