The Dallas Mavericks made a comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Down 0-3 in the series and facing a possible sweep, the Mavericks bounced back in a fateful Game 4 to secure their first-ever garbage-time Finals victory. The Warriors took control early and never looked back, winning by a whopping 38 points, 122-84. It was the third-largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history.

While ace Luka Doncic (25‧201cm) did his part with 29 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, his one-two punch partner Kyrie Irving (32‧187.2cm) continued his good work from Game 3 with 21 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Most importantly, Derrick Lively II (20‧216cm) stepped up with 11 points and 12 rebounds in a game where no one else stood out besides 토토사이트 순위 Doncic and Irving.

It wasn’t a close game, but it was good to see the hot fingertips of Tim Hardaway Jr. (32, 198 cm), who had a scary explosion in the fourth quarter, hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers. He has his ups and downs, but once he gets his shot going, he’s a deadly force, and if he can keep it going for the rest of the series, he’ll be a huge weapon.

Boston, on the other hand, was forced to raise the white flag early on as the duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum struggled across the board, combining for just 10 points and two assists and 15 points and five rebounds, respectively. For a team like Dallas, the one-two punch is important, but it’s when other players step up that the team as a whole comes alive.

Doncic attacked the rim with aggression and his trademark mid-range moves to attack the Boston defense. It’s unfortunate that his three-point shot was so silent, but he was still able to make a series of high-probability shots that set the tone for the rest of the game and helped fuel the big win. Doncic’s breakthroughs are very difficult for opponents to stop.

Typical breakout players often have a physical advantage, either by getting to the basket so fast that the defense can’t react or by jumping higher than their matchup. Doncic’s breakaway is different. He’s not particularly fast or high (can’t?), which is why when he does break through, most opponents have no trouble catching up.

However, it doesn’t matter if the defender is blocking him or not. He’s big for his position and uses his strength to push forward with a sideways thrust. His ball handling is also good, so he doesn”t make sloppy touches. His fluid steps and smooth movements allow him to take away the timing of the defense. Furthermore, his passing is top-notch and he is versatile, making it difficult for defenses to focus solely on the offense.

This was the case on this day, as he made a bold move from outside the three-point line, and his matchup followed him all the way to the basket, with another defender near the post. After back-to-back baskets, he mixed it up with mid-range jumpers. It’s not uncommon to see him run with a defender from well behind the halfway line and score a fast break layup.

The play of the game was when Jru Halladay (34‧191cm) fought off his own post-up attempt with force, then spun away with a fluid, natural spin move to get to the basket. He looked like he was going for a post-up, then stepped back and fired a fadeaway shot, and with momentum on his side, he put up a floater with three defenders in front of him.

The smirk on his face after every successful offensive possession was a return to the unstoppable Doncic that many fans knew. If Kristaps Porzingis’ (29‧221cm) explosion in Game 1 helped swing the momentum in Boston’s favor, it was Lilliby II’s role for Dallas on this night. Trailing 10-11 early in the first quarter, he hit an unexpected three-pointer that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

The fact that it was Lilliby II, not any other player, gave Dallas momentum, and Boston a bad feeling. A revitalized Lilliby II was diligent on the court and showed off his high energy level on offense. He took an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Irving, killing Boston’s energy, while grabbing multiple offensive rebounds to fuel the Dallas offense.

His open three-pointer from the corner with just over three minutes left in the second quarter and subsequent offensive rebound with just over three minutes left in the game was a testament to how active he was on the night. Of course, the series is still in Boston’s hands. Unlike Boston, who only need one win to clinch the title, Dallas needs to win three in a row. For now, they don”t have to look too far ahead, they just need to take Game 5. The rest will come after that.