Jaylen Brown has scored 21 or more points and shot better than 53% in each of the first 3 games in the Finals.
DALLAS — Ask any former NBA champion and they will attest to the high degree of difficulty in shutting out another team on their court.
The Boston Celtics haven’t faced many challenges in a 2024 postseason where they’ve lost just twice — a great run made possible by superior depth, consistent production on both ends and yes, key injuries to other teams.
Dallas Mavericks win Game 4 (8:30 ET, ABC) of the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV to cap off a sweeping Friday? This could be their big project, maybe their biggest.
Here’s what could go against the Celtics:
- A vengeful Luka Doncic
- Kyrie Irving is getting his touch back
- The possibility that the Mavs supporting cast will show up in this series
- The rarity of a Finals sweep.
Of course, the Celtics also have plenty of reasons to lean, namely with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and a team that may once again have to compensate for the loss or limitations of an injured Kristaps Porzingis.
Here are four things to look for in a do-or-die situation facing the home team and the crowd’s quest for championship No. 18:
1. The Hunger Game for the Celtics
It’s human nature to ease your foot off the gas when it seems like the inevitable is near. And if you doubt that, then you have a short memory. Didn’t the Celtics almost blow a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter on Wednesday?
If Boston can’t resist the urge to relax and unwind, then Game 4 could work against them and give the Mavs a rocket of life and send this series back to Boston.
Crashing hard for rebounds, tightening up defensively, working for easier shots, the Mavericks will be — or at least should be — determined to win these energy games. They have the staff for that. The problem is that Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford and others have been neutralized so far.
“Just because we’re down 3-0, it’s not over,” Lively said. “It’s just going to come down to putting everything we can on the floor, trying to go out there and win little battles because that’s what’s going to give us the game. Winning the rebound game, the transition game and then just trying to stop them from what they’re trying to do.”
If the Celtics match the projected intensity of the Mavs, then it’s probably a wrap given Boston’s obvious talent advantage. But then again, human nature…
“We’re locked in,” guard Derrick White said. “We know what’s at stake. We understand that close games are the hardest and we just have an extra edge.”
2. Jaylen Brown secures another bag
Let’s get to the so-called downside of Brown’s last 12 months. Don’t worry, this will be quick:
- He did not make any of the All-NBA teams
- He was not selected for the 2024 Olympic Team
This is. Otherwise, life was good. Perfect, actually.
Last summer, Brown signed the richest contract in NBA history. Last month, he was voted the Eastern Conference Finals Most Outstanding Player. And he’s far from Finals MVP, which is where the current favorite finds himself.
What changed the life of Brown, long overshadowed by Tatum, who is now making a push to be considered one of the best players in the league.
He looks set for a strong finish in this series. Not only is he blessed with obvious ability at all levels and causes big problems for the Celtics, but he is very likely to catch the scent of two trophies – Larry O’Brien and Bill Russell.
Brown at this point has been the Celtics’ most consistent and reliable and best player in this series. And it shows no signs of slipping.
3. Kyrie Irving’s leadership
He once helped a team rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a championship. He made one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals history. And throughout this season, he’s presented himself as a changed player — mature, wise.
If your team is one loss away from missing the NBA Finals, you better have Kyrie on it.
Who would have thought it would be Kyrie, not Luka, as the quietest presence in the Mavs’ all-star backcourt? While one has struggled with a sore body and referees, the other has shown accountability and remorse followed by a promise to be better.
And Kyrie said Thursday he’ll offer advice if Luka asks him about how to handle the moment he faces.
“There are a lot of first-timers in this scene,” he said. “I’ve said it for the last week or so, it’s a new area for me too, just being with these guys and testing myself at this level.
“But my message to him is that he is not alone in this. He played the best he could despite the conditions, just injuries and stuff. He gives it his all. It’s not all about him. Being under the microscope in this business is very different for me now because I’m able to put the big picture of life into perspective and also the game into perspective. It comes easier.”
4. Possible X-factors
Derrick White has it locked down – his play on both ends, and especially his willingness to be pulled in the moment, has been a huge asset for the Celtics. If he’s open in a tight game, he’ll shoot. check out his big 3-pointer late in Game 3.
“It’s playing with great players,” he explained as the reason. “They put me in a position to be in these moments and they trust me. I’m just trying to be confident about it all and just trust the work that I’ve done.”
Other Game 4 contenders?
Derrick Jones Jr. It’s been a quiet streak so far for a player who lives for corner threes, dunk passes and defense. All of this was on display throughout the playoffs and then evaporated during the Finals. Jones made a bet on himself last summer when he signed a one-year minimum contract with Dallas. With a summer of free agency approaching, it’s time to try and win that bet.
Dereck Lively II could rebound. And dunk. And make it difficult for the Celtics in the paint if Porzingis is injured. Lively had his best game of the series on Wednesday with an 11-13 double-double. His energy and ability to get Al Horford in foul trouble would be great.
Sam Houser can shoot. The Celtics know that, or at least rediscovered it after Houser erased a cold Game 2 (0-5 shooting) by scoring nine points in 14 minutes in Game 3. big difference in a team that feasts on 3s and spaces.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for over 25 years. You can send him an e-mail here, find its file here and follow the one in X.
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