Celtics vs. Mavericks NBA Finals: Game 4 live updates, score, highlights and analysis as Boston goes for sweep

Live39 updates

• Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:48 AM GMT+2

  Is that bad?

  For Boston, 35 points is the lowest single-half scoring effort from the Celtics all season.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:48 AM GMT+2

  Mavs lead 61-35 at halftime

  Fantastic play to close the quarter by Dallas: As Luka drove into the paint, Maxi Kleber cut from under the rim into the right corner around a baseline screen. Luka, airborne and about to let his floater go, saw him and flung a wild pass to Kleber in the corner. Kleber comes off the screen clean, catches and cashes out. Perfect end to a damn-near-perfect half for the Mavs, who lead 61-35 at intermission.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:47 AM GMT+2

  Maxi Kleber sighting

  Quite a time for Maxi Kleber to convert. It’s a corner 3-pointer right before the end of the first half to keep Dallas’ advantage at 26 entering the break. He has been so hesitant and resistant to shoot all series, but with the clock winding down, he had no other option but to launch.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:43 AM GMT+2

  Celtics need … something?

  Maybe Joe Mazzulla has a YouTube supercut of UFC fighters coming back to deliver a late knockout after getting the crap kicked out of them for a few rounds that he can show the Celtics at halftime.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:41 AM GMT+2

  Pritchard in for Brown because of foul trouble

  Payton Pritchard checks back in with 2:24 to play in the first half as Jaylen Brown’s foul on Josh Green marks his third of the game.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:39 AM GMT+2

  Yikes

  Boston has just 9 points in 9 minutes of second-quarter action.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:39 AM GMT+2

  Dallas winning on the glass

  It’s a piece of wisdom frequently attributed to Pat Riley: “No rebounds, no rings.” With three minutes to go in the first half, Dallas is outrebounding Boston 28-15, with six offensive rebounds leading to nine second-chance points. The Mavs are, as Dereck Lively II said after Game 3, playing like their lives are on the line.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:37 AM GMT+2

  No Tim Hardaway Jr. for Mavs

  No Tim Hardaway Jr. tonight either. He was 0-of-5 in 19 minutes In Game 3. Jason Kidd not playing around. Hardaway had an opportunity but blew it.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:33 AM GMT+2

  Luka is stepping up

  Luka is 0-of-3 from deep, but he’s got everything working inside the arc, where he’s 7-of-10. He’s bullied his way and head-faked into layups. His step-back has been money in the mid-range. Sixteen points, 3 boards, 2 dimes to start. He’s been so engaged on defense. An excellent response so far to all the (rightful) criticism after Game 3’s debacle.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:26 AM GMT+2

  Everything going right for Mavs

  The loose balls, the possessions under the rim, the hustle “gotta have it” plays, all going the Mavs way. Playing with emotion. At some point, it wears off. Boston is shooting 32 percent.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:24 AM GMT+2

  Celtics not in a groove

  That Jaylen Brown corner 3 at the 9:01 mark was Boston’s first field goal in four minutes. The Celtics’ offense has yet to get untracked — 9-for-26 from the field, 3-for-12 from 3, five turnovers against seven assists. Not a sharp start with a chance to break out the brooms.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:23 AM GMT+2

  Gafford is back in

  After a long, long rest, Daniel Gafford is back in the game and instantly grabs an offensive board and draws a trip to the line. He hasn’t seen the floor since the game’s first 2:30 and came back in with just over 8 minutes to play in the first half

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:19 AM GMT+2

  Womp womp: Dante misstep

  After a review in Secaucus, the Exum corner 3 has been waved off because he stepped out of bounds. (Sorry, Jake.) Score’s now 36-21, Dallas.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:14 AM GMT+2

  Dante does it

  This is a Dante Exum fan blog. He is the only Maverick outside of Doncic and Irving who can get to the basket and create off the dribble. After a huge hammer dunk in Game 3, he opens the second quarter driving to the basket and then cashing a corner 3.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:13 AM GMT+2

  Boston not looking like Boston

  Thirty-four points is a series high for a single quarter for the Mavs, and they’ve been efficient: 34 in 25 possessions is good for a 136 offensive rating, which would top even the Celtics’ league-best mark from the regular season.

  Boston, on the other hand: just 21 points on 25 possessions, an 84 offensive rating. Celts need the 3-ball to start falling.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:13 AM GMT+2

  Dallas good from 3

  Mavs are plus-3 from the 3-point line right now. And they are keeping the C’s off the 3-point line, which was a huge reason for the Game 3 loss.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:12 AM GMT+2

  Big night for Lively?

  Wonder how much more we’ll see Daniel Gafford tonight. He checked out about 2 minutes earlier than normal in the first quarter for Lively and did not see the floor again. Dallas’ small-ball unit with Maxi at the 5 saw a good little run for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Lively has been Dallas’ clear-cut third-best player behind Luka and Kyrie … and has absolutely contributed the best two-way performance for the Mavs through one quarter. He’s been a plus-13 in seven minutes,

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:11 AM GMT+2

  Mavs take 34-21 lead after first quarter

  Not exactly a Swiss watch of playmaking precision at the end of the first quarter there — first Kyrie Irving steps out of bounds on a would-be final attempt of the quarter, then noted heavesman Payton Pritchard does the same on the other end, and on his second chance, Kyrie doesn’t get the shot off in time. Still, the start looks pretty good for the Mavs: 34-21 after 12 minutes.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:05 AM GMT+2

  It’s small-ball time

  Small-ball for both teams now — Maxi Kleber and PJ Washington up front for Dallas, and Jayson Tatum as the ostensible center for Boston with Brown, Hauser, White and Holiday on the wing. Haven’t seen that look at all for the C’s in this series, but with Horford dealing with early foul trouble and Tillman ineffective in his first shift, Joe Mazzulla’s looking for something.

  Having Derrick White hit a bailout prayer at the end of the shot clock off a jump ball near the end of quarter helps.

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  Sat, June 15, 2024 at 3:04 AM GMT+2

  Luka still struggling at the FT line

  Luka’s troubles at the foul line this series have also been perplexing. After drawing a foul on Al Horford, his first attempt from the charity stripe was a brutal miss. He’s now 13-of-22 from the line in the NBA Finals.