**Starting 5, June 15: Dallas Forces Game 5 in NBA Finals**
In a thrilling turn of events, the Dallas Mavericks have pushed the NBA Finals to a decisive Game 5. Their remarkable performance on June 15 showcased their resilience and determination, ensuring the series extends further. Fans are eagerly anticipating the next matchup as the Mavericks strive to clinch the championship.
A **What’s inside today’s edition?**
**Start to Finish:** Dallas opened the game hot and never cooled off in a 38-point win.
**Luka Leads the Way:** After fouling out of Game 3, Doncic drove Dallas to victory in Game 4.
**Dallas Defense:** How the Mavs held the Celtics to a season-low 84 points.
A**All-Access:** Go behind-the-scenes from Game 4 with our on-the-ground correspondents.
**Game 4 Frames:** Some of our favorite photos from Friday in Dallas.
**BUT FIRST … ⏰**
**Game 4 and the Remaining Finals Schedule:**
It's a travel day as the NBA Finals shift back to Boston for Game 5 on Monday night. Stay updated on the NBA App for the latest news and exclusive access all weekend.
**Trivia Time:** Test your knowledge with today’s NBA Play: Expert Mode challenge, and list the five all-time leaders in Finals 3-pointers made.
### 1. MAVS DOMINATE FROM START TO FINISH
A In Game 3, Dallas started strong, building a 13-point lead midway through the 1st quarter, but the Celtics regained their poise and got back in the game. In Game 4, with their season on the line, Dallas maintained their momentum throughout the game.
Their 13-point lead after the 1st quarter grew to 20, then 30, and finally 40, ending with a 122-84 win over Boston—the third-highest margin of victory in Finals history (+38). | [Recap](#)
**More History:** Dallas became only the third team in the past 70 years to force a Game 5 when trailing 3-0 in the NBA Finals. The others? The 1996 Sonics and 2017 Cavs.
**Streak Snappers:** Dallas’ win snaps Boston’s 10-game Playoff win streak and hands the Celtics their first road loss this postseason.
**Setting the Tone:** Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were determined not to see their season end on Friday. They combined to outscore the Celtics by themselves in the 1st quarter (22-21) and the 1st half (36-35). | [Best of Luka & Kyrie in Game 4](#)
**The Stars Had Help:** The rest of the Mavs combined for 25 points on 57.1% shooting in the 1st half. They shot 4-of-6 from 3, including the first-ever NBA 3 by Dereck Lively II.
Lively II (11 pts, 12 reb) posted his second straight double-double, joining Magic Johnson (5x in 1980) as the only players to record multiple double-doubles in the NBA Finals before turning 21 years old.
🗣️ **Luka on the Full-Team Effort:** “It’s big. It’s basketball. It’s five people on the floor. So that’s huge for us. Everybody played with a lot of energy. That’s how we got to do it. We got to think the same way in Game 5 in Boston.”
At the half, the Mavs had doubled their 13-point first-quarter lead to 26 and didn’t let up after the break. Just 48 hours earlier, the Mavs had gone on a 22-2 run in just five minutes to erase a 20+ point lead, so they kept their foot on the gas.
After back-to-back dunks by Lively II made it a 36-point game with 3:18 left in the 3rd quarter, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters and emptied his bench. The Mavs bench kept it rolling. Tim Hardaway Jr., who was scoreless on 0-of-7 shooting in 27 Finals minutes entering Game 4, hit five 3s in the 4th quarter as Dallas’ lead peaked at 48 points.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Mavs had racked up 122 points (after being held under 100 in each of the first three games) and allowed only 84 points—tying Boston’s lowest mark under Mazzulla.
Teams often preach playing for 48 minutes. With their season on the line, the Mavs delivered one of the most dominant 48 minutes in NBA Finals history.
🗣️ **Coach Jason Kidd in the Locker Room Pregame:** “This is what we live for. This is what it’s all about. Someone wrote it [on the whiteboard] ‘We gotta believe’ and ‘Why not us?’ We go to Boston tomorrow, I hope you guys all packed.”
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