Key Highlights
- The Dallas Mavericks' 133.3 offensive rating in Game 4 was the highest in the playoffs
- They posted a rebounding rate of 38.9 percent, which was their second-best mark of the playoffs.
- The Boston Celtics' 85.7 offensive rating was their second-lowest on the year, including the regular season and playoffs.
Standing toe-to-toe with completion and the end of a great season, the Dallas Mavericks produced one of their best displays of the 103-game campaign on Friday night. On the road to their first championship since 2008 and eyeing a chance to make a mark in 2023-24, the Boston Celtics produced their worst game of the season on Friday night.
The result of that intersection: a 122-84 rout of Dallas to return to the NBA Finals at TD Garden in Game 5 on Monday.
Despite this competition, Boston still holds the lead 3-1. Every playoff game is its own business, but it's still hard to completely ignore a 38-point blowout. While it may not matter in deciding Game 5 or even the series, Dallas appeared to make some adjustments that Boston must now navigate for their fourth and final win of the cycle.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks, finally took it from the Celtics for a long time and no longer trailed behind by double digits; their amazing play ignited a healthy lead in itself rather than causing a futile comeback attempt. They were energetic, attentive and protective. They cover the paint and interfere with driving. They used focus and speed offensively to magnify Boston's weak spots, which were more glaring with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined.
So, with Game 5 still a few hours away, here are a few developments to watch that proved to be important in Game 4.
Can the Mavericks Play at the Same Tempo Offensively?
Through three games, despite the painful outside shooting, Dallas' biggest struggle has been its inability to operate with any flow or rhythm. Rarely does it create an easy offense or attempt a quick hit before Boston's stout defense is organized. Led by Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, the Celtics have incorporated many of Kyrie Irving's wildly named creations.
They were satisfied with Luka Doncic's way of explaining what they have. Committed, consistently working against a smart, sharp and organized court defense and failing to light up the scoreboard with a combination of volume again efficiency.
In Game 4, Doncic and the Mavericks dialed the tempo. Unpredictably, their shooting time decreased from 12.7 seconds in the first three games to 11.8 seconds. They were more active in pushing after a miss, averaging 9.2 seconds to shoot following a defensive throw, compared to 11.1 seconds in Games 1-3.
Boston is struggling to manage this change. It often allowed Doncic to get cross-matches to go down against his guards, who lacked the size and strength to match him. These different games left the Celtics reeling. While Dallas wasn't playing like 7 Seconds or Little Sun, it was still quick to set up the court's offense before Boston found its defense.
The Mavericks were aiming where they wanted defenders. This goal was hampered by the fact that Celtic were not allowing them to release matchups. Whoever Dallas wanted to target, he couldn't.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Maverick's 113.4 court rating was the best in the series. Before Game 4, they were sitting at just 87.1 points per 100 possessions in the half court. In turnovers, they scored 157.1 points per 100 possessions, up from 108.7 in the first three games.
Their emphasis on avoiding Boston's set-defense issues was important, but the Celtics also have to play with more urgency. They were defeated and undisciplined, which led to many mistakes and divisions of any context. Whether Dallas can keep the mojo moving or whether Boston can give it a temporary blip will be huge on Monday night.
Who Will Win The Glass War?
Among the highlights of the Mavericks' offense in the finals was their focus on the offensive glass. Using three rebounds, they rank fourth in offensive rebounding rate (29.8 percent), with six rotation players all at 60 percent or higher in offensive rebounding average each. On the other hand, Boston entered the finals sporting a low opposing rebounding rate (21.6 percent).
On the way to their 3-0 lead, the Celtics held the ball well, limiting Dallas to a 25.9% rebounding rate. They split the difference between their dominant streak and the Mavericks' dominance. It never felt like the boards were a winning pitch for Dallas.
That changed in Game 4. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Mavericks made 38.9 percent of their misses (94th percentile in the playoffs). Derek Lively II was seven for 13, matching his total in the first three games. No one else avoided more than two. Dallas scored 16 points in the second half. 13 of those came before both teams cleared the bench.
No matter who was guarding the 7-foot-1 Lively, he was always very tall. His main comparison, Jayson Tatum, is listed at 6-foot-8 (that's an undersell, of course). His second contact, Jaylen Brown, is listed at 6-foot-6.
While Lively isn't playing in the game and roaming the dunker zone, she's making sure to use her towering frame. If he works as an inspector and gets an even smaller share in the machine, he does the same.
He floated through the cracks and refused to be kicked out. Boston pushed the issue forward, repeatedly failing to put a body on the big man. He had the freedom to top the boards or follow them until they fell into his hands. According to NBA.com, the Celtics pulled three boxes for defensive rebounds in Game 4 — a dramatic drop from the 9.7 they averaged over the past three games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtEHERDD2RY
Boston's decision to prioritize ball skills like shooting, passing and driving creates a small frontcourt. That's usually not a problem. The surrounding talent makes up for it in other areas and the Celtics are a great team to play with. They flock to the glass and do well to reunite with the gang in this series.
Those traits evaporated in Game 4, and made Lively's efforts look easy. The way he brought Boston increased his profits. How both clubs pursue that development is crucial to their Game 5 identity.
How Do The Celtics Regain Their Special Space?
In general, Boston is the NBA's gold standard for spacing offensively. It usually plays five shooters together, at least four of which are active driving options as well. That's why it led the league in offensive efficiency in the regular season and remains effective in the playoffs.
However, the difference disappeared in Game 4. In many possessions, the Celtics were tense and out of sorts. Al Horford would watch and wander inside, not sure whether to post or block the smaller defender. That hesitation clogged the paint and weakened Dallas' rotation.
Horford is not an accomplished interior play finisher like Porzingis. Unless he's posting up or forcing a Gortat Seal to help his teammates down, there's rarely a need for him to stay in or around the paint. However, his indecision was only part of the problem, rather than the root.
The Mavericks have timed their help to better integrate read and pass windows. They punished Xavier Tillman's inability to stretch the floor. Like Game 2, the Celtics tried to hide the guard in the dunker zone, but saw very little success this time.
Lively was upset inside. Dallas stepped up and played Maxi Kleber next to him for 15 minutes. After an 83.2 defensive rating, outscored Boston by 15 points in those minutes; the Mavericks went 10 in 15 minutes over the first three games. The only reserves to see a meaningful run were four defensive options: Kleber, Lively, Josh Green and Dante Exum.
All of these turnovers, along with some self-inflicted injuries, forced the Celtics into a difficult, uncomfortable journey offensively. The 85.7 offensive rating was their second lowest number of the year between the regular season and the playoffs.
After recording 59 shots on goal in the first three games, Boston took nine (six plays) in Game 4, according to Cleaning the Glass. Its rim frequency dropped from 27.4 percent to 21 percent. The 31 percent mark from beyond the arc is shaky, but it was partly a product of dice drives and touches in the paint.
Dallas hit only 31.8 percent of its threes, but took 24 shots at the rim (16 made) and finished with a frequency of 37 percent. That was a frustratingly big disagreement, with neither team holding a fire in the deep while the other endured a cold wind.
If Boston corrects this trend, it will be in a very favorable position in Game 5. If the Mavericks also attract a lot of sticky stuff, they have a good chance to add a sixth contest to the series books. Each side will hope that those fortunes will soon become a reality.
*All data cited from Cleaning the Glass excludes garbage time, which is assumed to have started early in the fourth quarter in Game 4.*
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