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

[celticinorlando]

I looked and blowout losses apparently are fairly common in finals for winning teams.  85 Lakers lost by 34. 96 Bulls lost by 21. 00 Lakers lost by 33. 13 Heat lost by 36. 16 Cavs lost by 33. 17 Warriors lost by 21.  Most of those teams played their starters well into the 4th quarter as well (Jordan played 41 minutes for example). The 17 Warriors feels the most similar i.e. a clearly superior team lays an egg on the road in game 4 and ends the series in game 5.  At least I hope that ends up being the most similar. The 96 Bulls also lost game 4 on road, but then they lost game 5 on road by 11 and beat the Sonics in 6.  I'd prefer they end it in 5 like the Warriors but either path still puts the C's in solid company with 2 of the greatest teams ever.

84 Celtics got drilled by 33 also

[scaryjerry]

Tatum now has 3 less points than Brown in the Finals. Pretty good chance he again leads the Celtics in points, rebounds, and assists for a series. Also may again not win the series mvp while leading the team in all 3 of those categories.

He?s also completely inefficient, forgot how to shoot and misses more layups than anyone I?ve ever seen. Thought he was wild tonight and jacking up step back 3s immediately probably hunting a good game because we all know he wants that mvp. He complained more than Luka tonight too. Pretty painful.

he started 4 of 6. Missed his last 4 after it was a blowout and he was pressing more because no one else was hitting anything.

Tatum was a total loser in this one and I can?t help but argue with the Tatum fan boys that turn this 40 point loss into a net positive for him?it?s disturbing

When the rest of the team was finally off and we were heavily reliant on ?our best player? he scored 15 points and we lost by 40

again he was 4 of 6 and the team was down big. He was mostly keeping pace with Luka early on. If no one else wants to play, he can't do it alone.

He was awful and a petulant baby in this game, I don?t care how you spin it

[ozgod]

According to Derrick Lively they have figured us out.

Well, while stressing they have to take it ?game by game? and ?play by play?, rookie Dereck Lively II had a few interesting comments in a sideline interview with ESPN?s Lisa Salters.

?We figured out what their gameplan is, we figured out what schemes they like to run,? he said after the third quarter.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nba/finals/nba-live-celtics-on-brink-of-16year-first-as-rivals-look-to-avoid-humiliating-sweep/news-story/935f6d7f1020ffa1154f120755af6867

If he only figured it out now he's a bit late on the uptake...I sense some attempt at mind games from young Lively here 

[celticinorlando]

According to Derrick Lively they have figured us out.

Well, while stressing they have to take it ?game by game? and ?play by play?, rookie Dereck Lively II had a few interesting comments in a sideline interview with ESPN?s Lisa Salters.

?We figured out what their gameplan is, we figured out what schemes they like to run,? he said after the third quarter.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/nba/finals/nba-live-celtics-on-brink-of-16year-first-as-rivals-look-to-avoid-humiliating-sweep/news-story/935f6d7f1020ffa1154f120755af6867

If he only figured it out now he's a bit late on the uptake...I sense some attempt at mind games from young Lively here 

Lively likes to run his mouth. One of the most unlikeable guys on an unlikeable team

[Donoghus]

Last time a Boston sports team clinched a title in Boston was the Red Sox in Game 6 of the 2013 World Series.

Who was at that game? My sister.

Who has my Game 5 tickets on Monday night? My sister.

Celtics got this.

[KGs Knee]

Last night was embarrassing, there's no escaping that. I had thought this team was past this sort of mentality where they get over-confident and think they can mail it in. Clearly, they are not. It's still their biggest flaw. But maybe now we can drop this ridiculous idea that the Mavs are overrated, they are not and never should have been taken lightly.

But the biggest shame in all of this is the lost opportunity to achieve something no other team has and put themselves up there among the greatest single-season champions. I couldn't care less that they might now get to clinch in front of the home crowd, that's never meant a darn thing to me. I'm more interested in greatness and annihilating the competition. That's probably gone now. A title is still a title, and I'll be stoked if and when they do win, but it probably lost a little luster in all-time discussions.

I'm not too terribly worried that they'll blow this, but it is somewhat in the back of my mind. If they somehow lose game 5 then they are in some trouble. Hopefully, this wakes them up and they finish off business on Monday so we can raise banner 18 and put the Lakers behind us where they belong.

[Birdman]

Celtics will win by 14

[cman88]

I?m not sure the warriors swept the cavs in the finals.

Also, pretty sure Minnesota blew out Dallas only to get blown out in game 5.

So I?m not too worried

[hpantazo]

Bird said it best when this happened to his Celtics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_iCG6NYos

[celticinorlando]

All I care about is the response. Plenty of NBA champs have been blown out big in a finals game.

Response is all that matters Monday.

[celticinorlando]

Bird said it best when this happened to his Celtics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_iCG6NYos

I need this kind of response Monday. If this team comes out again flatlined then they just don't want it.

[Phantom255x]

Win Game 5, and nobody will care about what happened last night

[celticinorlando]

Win Game 5, and nobody will care about what happened last night

Bingo. There was nothing Dallas did any differently but play harder.

Boston gave them 17 points off turnovers and 16 second chance points.

Rebounding and defense is effort. Turnovers are just not being stupid.

[hpantazo]

Dallas switched up the defensive matchups, putting PJ Washington on Brown and Lively/Gafford on Tatum, pushing Tatum to shoot more and Brown to be the facilitator that Tatum was in games 1-3. They attacked Tatum by going to Gafford in the post too. They also packed the paint more and rotated quicker to our shooters, and dominated the boards with Lively out there more. All things we can address, but they did make changes and we didn't respond.

[celticinorlando]

Dallas switched up the defensive matchups, putting PJ Washington on Brown and Lively/Gafford on Tatum, pushing Tatum to shoot more and Brown to be the facilitator that Tatum was in games 1-3. They attacked Tatum by going to Gafford in the post too. They also packed the paint more and rotated quicker to our shooters, and dominated the boards with Lively out there more. All things we can address, but they did make changes and we didn't respond.

Even with those changes if Boston just played harder and smarter it probably is a game. After the first 8 minutes the Cs looked like they did not want to play.