Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Mavericks avoided getting swept with a Game 4 win in Dallas versus the Celtics

The Dallas Mavericks lapped the Boston Celtics in Game 4, preventing a sweep in the Finals. Luka Dončić was relentless on offense, cared to defend and yapped considerably less to the referees. Kyrie Irving consumed inside protections. And the hosts outrebounded the Celtics by 21.

Early, the Mavericks’ defense permitted two of nine 3-pointers. But Jayson Tatum got loose, making a 3-pointer against drop coverage and scoring on three rim attacks.

For the Mavs, Dončić was unrestrainable, dribbling to his spots in the middle for jumpers plus floaters and going low for layups while also making three freebies. Irving maneuvered into the lane for two shots and a layup, swished a triple in Jaylen Brown’s face and finished at the rim on a transition pick-and-roll set with Daniel Gafford. And Dereck Lively’s impact was like a sledgehammer to rotting wood, slamming a lob, canning his first-ever tray (in the corner), and blocking Xavier Tillman’s shot under the rim.

The Mavericks led 34-21 through 12 minutes.

The hosts followed up in the second quarter, contesting the Celtics’ jumpers and rim attacks on time, holding them to three of 16 field goals.

On the attack, Dante Exum provided a jolt off the bench, dribbling into the square for a layup and making a right-wing trifecta, set up by Dončić’s drive-and-kick on the left side. And Dončić scored four more times at close range and downed a step-back jumper from 17 feet out.

The Mavericks were on top 61-35 at halftime and ahead on the glass by 16. Additionally, the team had 34 paint points, three on the break, 10 via second chances, nine off turnovers and 19 from the bench.

The Celtics had 12 interior marks, two in the open court, none on extra tries, six off turnovers and six from the reserves.

Subsequently, Gafford was like a mobile stick of dynamite in the third quarter. He blocked Tatum’s jumper on the wing, rejected Brown’s baseline attack at the rim and slammed a lob on the break, assisted by Dončić at mid-court. Irving also got involved, recording five of six attempts in the frame.

The Mavericks were up 32 at the start of the fourth quarter.

The rest of the match was no contest- not one Maverick and Celtic starter played a minute of the fourth quarter. Still, the hosts reached a 48-point lead with six minutes left.

The Mavericks won 122-84. On top of that, the group had 60 paint points, 11 on the break, 16 via second chances, 17 off turnovers and 54 from the bench.

Dallas’ double-digit scorers were Dončić (29), Irving (21), Tim Hardaway Jr. (15), Lively (11) and Exum (10),

The Celtics tallied 26 interior marks, six in the open court, two on extra tries, nine off turnovers and 40 from the reserves.

Boston’s double-digit scorers were Tatum (15), Sam Hauser (14), Payton Pritchard (11), Jrue Holiday (10) and Brown (10).

Dončić handled the on-court interview. When asked about carrying momentum to Boston, he said, “We got to play the same way. We know how tough it is to play there…”

At the postgame presser, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said, “It was this or we go on vacation… our role players stepped up and made some threes and that’s what we needed tonight.”