Mavericks Will 'Believe Until The End' After Dodging Finals Sweep

Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks have kept their NBA title hopes alive with a Game 4 victory over the Boston Celtics. The Celtics arrived in Dallas on Friday with a chance to clinch their first NBA Championship since 2008, leading the series 3-0 and aiming to secure the title on the road. However, Dallas dominated on their home court, cruising to a 122-84 blowout victory. This result means Boston will have to wait until at least Monday to seal a record-breaking 18th NBA title.

No team has ever come from 3-0 down in an NBA playoff series, but Doncic insists his Mavericks team will not let that dampen their hopes of achieving an unlikely comeback. "Like I said at the beginning of the series, it's first to four," Doncic told reporters. "We're going to believe until the end. So we've just got to keep going. I have big belief in this team that we can do it."

Doncic faced criticism heading into Game 4 after fouling out in the latter stages of the previous contest. Nevertheless, he led the way with 29 points on Friday, helping his team ease to victory. Kyrie Irving believes Doncic proved his doubters wrong with his Game 4 performance. "I think he made a few people eat their words in a healthy way," Irving said. "What you're seeing is him just taking accountability as best he can at this point in his life. He's a young person, still trying to figure it out. I give him that grace."

Irving added, "I think it's just lessons being learned. When he is locked in like that, not paying attention to the refs, he's a huge, impactful player for us and a great leader for us. We want him to stay consistent on that and not be too hard on himself either."

The Mavericks' victory ensures that the series will return to Boston for Game 5, where the Celtics will have another opportunity to clinch the championship. The pressure remains high for both teams as they prepare for what could be a decisive game.

Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) June 15, 2024