Celtics’ Familiarity with 0-3 Deficit an Asset in Attempt to Close NBA Finals

Eric Jay Santos | Jun 15, 2024

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Mavericks were victorious in a must-win Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, taking their NBA Finals series to 3-1. Although the Mavericks avoided elimination on Friday night, no team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 deficit. 

Last season, the Celtics nearly became the first team to accomplish the burdensome feat. Boston forced a Game 7 against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals before being eliminated.

Per Inside The Celtics, Jayson Tatum could relate to the Mavericks’ urgent playing style. 

“A year ago this time, we were down 0-3 and we were essentially fighting for our lives,” said Tatum. “So, very short answer, yeah, we understand what it's like from their point of view, and you know, they came out super aggressive. They played extremely fast and took more shots than we did. You know, they were really concentrating on attacking the offensive glass. They got way more rebounds than we did.So, you know, they played harder tonight. Obviously, we didn't shoot the ball well at all. It's something that we can learn from.”

Al Horford believes that the home crowd fueled Dallas’ momentum. 

“I feel like every series kind of has a life of its own,” said Horford. “But yeah, they were in a position that their backs were against the wall, and they did what they were supposed to do. It is hard to win on the road. And even though we've had a lot of success this postseason on the road, you know, they had the momentum. They kept it going, and that was a big difference. Their crowd really rallied behind them and I feel like that helped them throughout.”