Celtics crushed by Mavericks in Game 4 of NBA Finals in one of worst playoff performances in franchise history - The Boston Globe (2024)

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Tatum in postgame: ‘Give them credit’ — 12:15 a.m.

By Amin Touri

Highlights from Jayson Tatum’s postgame press conference ...

On understanding the Mavericks’ mentality down 3-0: “Absolutely. Like you said, a year ago this time, we were down 0-3 and we were essentially fighting for our lives. 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.”

On the mindset entering a clinching game: “Give them credit. They played well tonight and we didn’t. We had the right mindset and right intentions. We wanted to come out and play super well and win, but it just didn’t go that way tonight. But, you know, we are fortunate. We get another opportunity on Monday.”

On decision-making in the loss: “Yeah, I think we were a little — I think this is the most stagnant that we’ve been this series and the worst job of owning our space on the offensive end and doing what we wanted to do instead of what they were forcing us to do. And, you know, we did a great job of that the first three games, and this one, we didn’t.”

On struggling to generate open shots: “I think it starts on the defensive end for us. We didn’t get many stops. So they were allowed to set their defense up, and just naturally, when you’re scoring at a high rate, you feel good about yourself. Your energy is higher. Tend to probably play better defense. So it all starts on the defensive end. We’ve just got to do a much better job containing them, making it tougher, and getting stops.”

On his expectations for Game 5 in the Garden: “I think it’s going to be as loud as it’s ever been, in my seven years of being a Celtic. Excited to go back home. Celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday and compete for a championship on Monday. So it should be a lot of fun.”

How bad was the Celtics’ Game 4 loss? — 12:05 a.m.

By Eli Cloutier

The Celtics’ 122-84 loss to the Mavericks on Friday is one of the worst defeats in NBA Finals history.

Game 4′s 38-point margin is the third-largest in the Finals. Friday’s rout slots in behind the Bulls’ 42-point win over the Jazz in 1998 (96-54) and Boston’s 39-point victory over the Lakers in 2008 (131-92), which clinched the Celtics’ 17th championship.

Boston was down 48 points with 5:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, which was the largest lead in a finals game in the last 50 years, according to ABC.

The Celtics surpassed their previous worst defeat in the Finals, a 33-point loss (137-104) to the Lakers in Game 3 of the 1984 Finals. Boston’s worst postseason loss was a 47-point defeat to the Magic (124-77) in the first round of the 1995 playoffs.

“We had to play our A game. It was this or we go on vacation,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought the group did a great job of not pressing, letting the game happen. The flow was there. ... We made awesome shots. Our role players stepped up and made some threes. That’s what we needed tonight.”

The Mavericks held the Celtics’ best players well below their scoring averages in Game 4. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 15, while backups Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard were the next highest Celtics scorers with 14 and 11, largely because coach Joe Mazzulla emptied the bench in the fourth quarter. Hauser played 19 minutes, 52 seconds, while Pritchard logged 21:39 on the court.

“I thought Dallas played great. Give a lot of credit to them. You know, all their guys, whoever went in, well-balanced,” Mazzulla said. Thought they played with a ton of energy and physicality. You’ve got to give them that. And they are a great team, and that’s Dallas. That’s the reason why they are here, when they play like that.”

Jaylen Brown doesn’t want to talk about it — 12:00 a.m.

By Amin Touri

Highlights from Jaylen Brown’s postgame press conference ...

On playing so poorly in a closeout game: “I don’t even know how to answer that. Next question.”

On decision-making suffering in Game 4: “Give credit to Dallas. I think they played hard physically, and then they dominated the glass. I think that was the key that put a lot of pressure on us. And then we didn’t make shots tonight, and I think that’s where, you know, we allowed them to play free, once we get them multiple opportunities to make shots, and then also we didn’t hit shots on the other end. We’re going to look at the film and see where we can better, and then go from there.

On what he says to the team after this loss: “We learn from it. We take it. We don’t dismiss it. We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to see how and why, exactly where the game was won and lost. And then we take those experiences and then we come out and we play like our life depends on it. Because it does.”

On how the opportunity to clinch affected the team: “Close-out games are hard. Close-out games are tough. They always have been like that, and you’ve got to have extreme focus. You’ve got to come out and meet their intensity to finish things out. So we didn’t do that tonight. Give credit to Dallas. I thought they played extremely well. Those guys, they crashed, they rebounded and they played with force. Some of those other guys stepped up. We’ve got to be better and we’ve got to have some of our guys step up, and that’s what it takes.

Luka on the refs, the win, and more — 11:50 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Highlights from Luka Doncic’s postgame presser ...

On having fun and leaving the refs alone: “Just helps out my team. We were locked in, especially on the defense end. We played with pace. It helped [my teammates]. I’m here to help them in every way I can. We just got to play like that.”

On this team having belief: “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.”

On Jason Kidd defending him from criticism: “No, he didn’t say anything to me specifically. But that speaks a lot about him. He always has players’ backs. He always support us. That’s a big thing, to have a coach like that.”

On Dereck Lively’s performance: “Big-time, man. I think people forget he’s a rookie. He’s a rookie doing this stuff. He’s been amazing the whole season. Just watching him grow was unbelievable. It’s fun having him out there with me. Call him my teammate, it’s unbelievable. It’s a pleasure to have him. He’s 50 percent on the season, so he might as well just keep shooting. He’s 1 for 2 [from 3-point], right? ... All right. 1 for 1 — he’s 100 percent in the playoffs.”

Jason Kidd on what went right tonight — 11:45 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Highlights from Jason Kidd’s press conference after the Mavericks stayed alive ...

On the Mavericks’ improvement in Game 4: “We had to play our A game. It was this or we go on vacation. I thought the group did a great job of not pressing, letting the game happen. The flow was there. ... We made awesome shots. Our role players stepped up and made some threes. That’s what we needed tonight.”

On Luka Doncic responding to criticism with his performance: “Yeah, I thought he was great. He’s been great. Some would say differently. He’s averaging over 25 in this series, I think. He’s playing at a very high level. I don’t know so much respond. He’s been doing everything for us on the offensive end and defensive end. I thought he played his game tonight. He didn’t force anything. ... With the pace, we talked about it, we got to play faster. I thought he set the pace for us tonight.”

On Doncic staying focused, not getting distracted by officiating: “I thought it was great. He was Luka. He’s been Luka. There wasn’t a different Luka out there. He played at a high level. He was great. He’s been great. He’s one of the best players in the world. As much as we want to criticize, he’s a hell of a player.”

On the Mavericks’ balanced scoring effort: “Yeah, again, we are desperate. The ball starts to move. Guys are not overthinking it. Again, being able to make some threes tonight from our role players were huge when you talk about [Derrick] Jones, Exum and then [Dereck Lively]. Just understanding that’s who we’ve been all season. We can shoot with the best of them. Tonight we displayed that.”

What Joe Mazzulla said after the loss — 11:35 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Highlights from Joe Mazzulla’s press conference after a Game 4 blowout loss ...

On taking anything from this game: “You can definitely take something from it but at the same time, I thought Dallas played great. Give a lot of credit to them. You know, all their guys, whoever went in, well-balanced. Thought they played with a ton of energy and physicality. You’ve got to give them that. And they are a great team, and that’s Dallas. That’s the reason why they are here, when they play like that.”

On the Celtics getting dominated inside: “They did a great job flying around, making indecision on whether to shoot it or drive and their multiple efforts. And I thought their [big] men did a great job protecting the paint. Whenever we went in for a layup, they had multiple guys contesting. I thought they did a great job flying around on the defensive end.”

On what he learned from this loss: “Yeah, listen, I learned that Dallas is a great team and you’re going to have to earn it. There’s a lot of stuff that we can control. We’ll go back on the film and we’ll watch that, and we’ll really try to be disciplined and control it.”

On how they prepared for Game 4: “Preparation doesn’t guarantee an automatic success. And so I thought we had a great process. I thought we had a great shootaround. Thought we had a great film session yesterday. I thought the guys came out with the right intentions. I just didn’t think it went our way, and I thought Dallas outplayed us. They just played harder.”

Column by Dan Shaughnessy

Shaughnessy: There is one upside to this blowout — 11:20 p.m.

Admit it. Some of you are OK with a Celtics loss in Game 4.

On the brink of their 18th NBA championship, leading the Mavericks three-games-to-zip, the Celtics fumbled a chance to clinch Friday, taking a 122-84 beating at the hands of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavericks. Boston’s first loss since May 9 snapped a 10-game playoff winning streak.

This means that the Celtics have a chance to win it at home Monday night on Causeway St. I suspect some Green Team fans are so secure in the ultimate outcome of this NBA Final they perhaps were secretly hoping the Mazzulla Men would drop one on the road and come home to win it on the fabled parquet floor.

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Adam Himmelsbach | Instant analysis

A swing for a sweep ... and a miss — 11:05 p.m.

Before the Mavericks faced the Celtics in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday, Dallas coach Jason Kidd seemed to understand that his team was truly on the edge as it faced a disheartening sweep.

“Somewhere in this game, there’s going to be a point where either team is going to have to make a stand, or they let go of the rope,” Kidd said. “And so that’s just human nature. And so if it happens to be us in the sense we are down or we’re fighting to get back in the game, there’s going to be a point, if there’s going to be a fight, or do we just concede?”

Kidd was right, that moment did arrive, but not for his team. Instead, the Mavericks kept their season alive by demolishing the Celtics in every way. Their 122-84 demolition in which they outscored the Celtics was so thorough that starters from both teams sat for the final 15 minutes.

Rather than spraying champagne in the cramped visitor’s locker room here, the Celtics will now board a quiet flight home to Boston, where they will prepare for Monday night’s Game 5.

As long as they eventually close out the series, this loss will not really be remembered. At most, it will just slightly dilute the historic significance of this team’s dominant postseason. But the fact remains that Boston still must win one more.

NBA teams are 156-0 all-time when holding a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series. The Celtics remain extremely well-positioned to keep that streak alive. They have just given Dallas some hope, and the manner in which they lost could be cause for at least some concern. Mavericks who had scuffled throughout the series may have regained some confidence, and this team that probably never expected to be here in the first place was given new life.

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Celtics lose — 10:59 p.m.

See ya Monday.

The worst Finals loss in history ... — 10:55 p.m.

Will the Celtics be on the wrong side of history? — 10:44 p.m.

A Tim Hardaway 3-pointer gives Dallas a 39-point lead with 8:01 to play. The worst Finals loss we can find on record is Utah’s 42-point defeat to Michael Jordan and the Bulls back in 1998. Might be on history watch tonight. — Amin Touri

Gearing up for Game 5 — 10:43 p.m.

Kyrie was right. He will be back in Boston for Game 5.

Mavericks 92, Celtics 60 | End 3rd

The starters are on the bench at the end of the third — 10:33 p.m.

With 12 minutes to go, the game is all but over. Both Joe Mazzulla and Jason Kidd have pulled their starters, and the Mavericks lead by 32.

Dallas has stretched its lead to 36, and the Celtics’ starters are out — 10:27 p.m.

The Mavericks have their largest lead of the game, up 88-52 with 3 minutes left in the third.

Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters with 3:18 left in the third. Svi Mykhailiuk, Oshae Brissett, Luke Kornet, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser are on the floor together.

Kyrie, Lively, and Luka also subbed out. It’s 1:29 in the third quarter, 92-57 Mavericks, and a number of players are making their NBA Finals debuts.

Timeout, Celtics. Boston trails, 80-47. — 10:22 p.m.

Mazzulla calls a timeout. It’s 80-47 Mavericks with 5:29 to go in the third. — Katie McInerney

Punt it. Pull the starters. Don’t risk injuries. — Chad Finn

With the Mavericks out ahead, it’s getting quiet in Dallas — 10:20 p.m.

The PA here at American Airlines Center has to egg on the crowd to pick up the cheers. With a 78-47 lead, these fans aren’t living and dying by every play as much as I thought they might. — Katie McInerney

What’s the deal with Kristaps Porzingis? — 10:15 p.m.

It’s interesting, too, that Joe really doubled down on “We’ll use KP in certain situations” in the pregame and then we haven’t seen him at all. I wonder if Mazzulla considered putting KP in there early on to stem the bleeding and decided it wasn’t worth it.

I’d also say if this was a Game 6 or 7 situation, I think Porzingis would be in there. — Katie McInerney

Honestly, I really think he meant they might use him either a) in the last few seconds with a big lead so he can be on the court for the championship or b) for like a “go be lanky in front of the inbounder” situation.

I would’ve been stunned if he played any sort of genuine minutes. — Amin Touri

It hasn’t been this bad for the Celtics in a long time — 10:10 p.m.

The 26-point halftime deficit is the largest for the Celtics in a playoff game in the Tatum Era. The last time they had a worst first half in the playoffs was in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers of LeBron/Kyrie, when they were down 72-31. — Alex Speier

Everything is working for Dallas — 10:07 p.m.

Another one of those disgusting lobs — Luka finds Daniel Gafford who slams it in. They follow it with a big block on Tatum ... and Tatum gets called for his fourth personal foul. It’s 67-38. — Katie McInerney

A lob from Doncic to Gafford, a Gafford block on a Tatum 3-pointer, and a loose ball foul on Tatum (his fourth) and Tatum has to sit with the Celtics trailing, 70-38, with 9:56 to go. This is Boston’s largest deficit of the playoffs. — Amin Touri

The second half is underway — 10:03 p.m.

What’s gone wrong? It’s really everything. Poor shooting is one thing, but Dallas’s defense deserves some credit there. They’re getting killed on the boards, and a lot of it is effort — trying to outjump Lively, rather than putting a body on him. The play that bugged me was when Kyrie scooped up the loose ball in the corner, teetered along the sideline, and then found Luka, who had fallen over, in the paint for a bucket and plus-one. No pressure on Kyrie in the corner at all. Just let him make a play. — Chad Finn

One thing that’s working for Boston: assists — 10:00 p.m.

Here’s a weird stat that doesn’t jibe with the state of the game. The Celtics had more assists than the Mavericks in the first half, 8-7. Luka (4) and Kyrie (3) have all of Dallas’s assists. — Chad Finn

Amin Touri’s halftime takeaways — 9:54 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Some takeaways at halftime:

• Awful first half for the Celtics — 35 points is their lowest halftime title in any game in two seasons under Joe Mazzulla, regular season or playoffs. A 14-point second quarter is their lowest-scoring period of the postseason.
• Luka Doncic has been sensational, pouring in 25 points despite missing all four of his 3-point attempts. Only one other Maverick is in double-digits: Kyrie Irving, with 11.
• Another rough shooting half for Boston from deep, with the Celtics 5 of 19 from 3-point range thus far. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown went a combined 2 of 10.
• Deeply forgettable first half for Jrue Holiday, who is 1 for 6 with 3 points and heads to the locker room a minus-28.
• The Celtics were simply dominated on the glass. The Mavericks out-rebounded them 29-13 in the first half, including eight offensive boards.
• Celtics not named Jayson Tatum are a combined 7 of 28 (25 percent) from the field. Yuck.
• Mavericks have been dominant inside, leading the points in the paint battle 34-12. No presence in the paint whatsoever for Boston.

Mavericks 61, Celtics 35 | End of 2

The Celtics trail by 26 at halftime — 9:45 p.m.

A perfect example of why the Mavericks made it to the Finals: With the shot clock running down, Luka looks to shoot at the free-throw line and instead makes a pass to the corner before Maxi Kleber has even made it there. Kleber grabs the ball in time and hits the 3 to make it 61-35, Mavericks at the end of the half.

It’s the lowest point total at half in any game this season for the Celtics. — Katie McInerney

It’s not looking great for the Celtics — 9:41 p.m.

The Celtics have 9 points in the second quarter with 2:24 to go. That is, I would suggest, not good. — Amin Touri

Foul watch: Jaylen Brown has 3. White, Tatum, and Horford all have 2. — Khari Thompson

Lively has eight rebounds. The Celtics have 12. — Chad Finn

Big boos for Jayson Tatum — 9:39 p.m.

Derrick Jones Jr. called for a foul on a Jayson Tatum floater at the rim (that did not go in), and Tatum’s taking two shots.

Big boos for Tatum as he makes both. It’s 52-30 with 3:16 to play in the second. The Celtics’ largest deficit in this postseason was 29 points, against Cleveland in Game 2. — Katie McInerney

Dallas has racked up a 25-point lead — 9:33 p.m.

The Celtics effort so far has been disappointing. Shooting poorly is one thing, and they’re certainly doing that (9 for 29 overall, 3 of 14 from 3), but they’re getting outhustled, beaten on the boards, and playing too much ISO ball. — Chad Finn

Didn’t have a 25-point Dallas lead on my bingo card. — Khari Thompson

The Celtics went 3 minutes, 59 seconds without a point before that 3-pointer from Sam Hauser. — Amin Touri

Mavericks 45, Celtics 25 | 6:35, 2nd

Joe Mazzulla calls a timeout to stop the bleeding — 9:27 p.m.

Doncic knocks down a jumper, and Dallas leads by 20. Rough first half for the Celtics, who have been outscored by Doncic and Irving, 27-25, so far in Game 4. Joe Mazzulla needs a timeout with the Mavericks leading, 45-25, with 6:35 to play. — Amin Touri

It’s looking rough out there — 9:25 p.m.

“MVP” cheers start to echo here at the American Airlines Center as Luka’s free throw makes it 43-25 Mavs with 6:55 to play.

Derrick White responds by airballing his fifth 3-point attempt of the game. — Katie McInerney

Points have been hard to come by for the Celtics — 9:20 p.m.

It takes until 9:35 for the Celtics to score their first point of the second quarter. They trail, 39-22. — Katie McInerney

Payton Pritchard has missed his first two shots of the second quarter. He’s now 1 for 15 in the series. We remember the 1.

Another miss. 1 for 16. — Chad Finn

Things are getting out of hand for Boston — 9:15 p.m.

Dante Exum slices through the middle of the Celtics defense for a layup then drills a 3-pointer to put Dallas up 18. The Mavericks lead, 39-21.

The Celtics showed how quickly a lead can evaporate in Game 3, but they can’t be comfortable with this big lead that the Mavericks are building. — Khari Thompson

It’s hard to compete when a team has a trio of superstars like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Dante Exum. — Amin Touri

Exum was the pick before Marcus Smart in the 2014 draft. It’s been a long journey to superstardom for him. — Chad Finn

Mavericks 34, Celtics 21 | End of 1st

Dallas has a double-digit lead at the end of the first quarter — 9:07 p.m.

Kyrie Irving can’t get a buzzer-beating shot off at the end of the first quarter after Payton Pritchard turns the ball over with three seconds left. It’s 34-21, Dallas. Ties their biggest lead for the series so far. — Katie McInerney

The big guns arrived in the first quarter, with 13 points for Luka Doncic, 11 for Jayson Tatum, and 9 for Kyrie Irving. Dallas outscored Boston 19-8 over the last 5:30 of the opening period. — Amin Touri

Well, if the Celtics are going to give up 34 points in a quarter, we very well may find ourselves back in Boston for a Game 5. Doncic and Kyrie are hitting shots. Lively is providing a spark. The Mavericks look energized. — Khari Thompson

Dallas already has four offensive rebounds, and the Mavs are outrebounding the Celtics overall 11-8.

Here’s something you don’t see often. Jrue Holiday was minus-16 in the first quarter. — Chad Finn

A change in strategy for the Mavericks — 9:05 p.m.

Jason Kidd noted earlier this week that the Celtics have been hunting Luka Doncic on defense. Kidd said Boston put a bullseye on Doncic’s chest. We’ve seen a lot of Doncic guarding Al Horford tonight, instead of the Jays. — Khari Thompson

Dallas is hot out of the gate — 9:02 p.m.

Back-to-back buckets from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic — the latter off a Doncic steal — cap off a 10-run, before a Jayson Tatum drive stops the bleeding. Mavericks have jumped out to a 26-16 lead with 2:18 to go in the first. — Amin Touri

Mark Cuban and the Sharks make an appearance — 9:00 p.m.

The video board just showed the cast of “Shark Tank,” which features Mavericks owner Mark Cuban among its panelists. They chanted “Let’s Go Mavs!” while holding signs that say “BELIEVE” — the same as the one from the show “Ted Lasso.” I do not think Mark Cuban was in Ted Lasso. — Katie McInerney

Xavier Tillman comes off the bench — 8:55 p.m.

Some early minutes for Xavier Tillman with Kristaps Porzingis’s availability limited. He scored three quick points off a layup and a made free throw, but Luka Doncic got 3 free-throw attempts by luring Tillman into contact with him behind the line. — Khari Thompson

Tillman was the first sub off the bench in Game 3, too. — Katie McInerney

Corner 3s are falling early for the Mavericks — 8:51 p.m.

Dereck Lively just hit a corner 3 and caught an alley-oop on back to back possessions. It’s getting loud in here.

As we noted during Game 3, the rims are mic’d up here so fans can hear every swish of a made basket and every clang of a miss. An interesting wrinkle here in Dallas. — Khari Thompson

The Mavericks’ bread and butter this season has been lobs and corner 3s. We even wrote about it after Game 1. If the Celtics can’t take away those corner shots then we’re heading back to Boston for a Game 5. — Katie McInerney

Mavericks 10, Celtics 9 | 6:37, 1st

Mavericks lead early — 8:49 p.m.

Strong start for the stars in this one — Jayson Tatum has 5 of the Celtics’ first 9 points in this one, Luka Doncic has 6 of the Mavericks’ first 10.

The 3-pointers aren’t falling early on, with the teams a combined 1 of 8 from deep to open the game. The Mavericks lead, 10-9, with 6:44 to go in the first quarter. — Amin Touri

Celtics are just 1 of 6 from 3 so far. Mostly good shots, though. The math should eventually be on their side. — Chad Finn

It’s slick out there — 8:47 p.m.

There seems to be a problem with the floor being slippery early. Floor seems a little slick. Spotted a pair of Mavericks workers mopping aggressively trying to get some more traction for the players. — Khari Thompson

A peek inside the coaches’ pregame speeches — 8:45 p.m.

The broadcast showed the final locker room speeches by the coaches, and Jason Kidd not only said “why not us” (a phrase closely associated with the 2004 Red Sox, who did come back from a 3-0 deficit — Curt Schilling said it), but Kidd also said “We’re going to Boston tomorrow. I hope you all packed.” — Matt Pepin

We’re underway in Dallas — 8:40 p.m.

And we’re off. It’s louder in here than it was for Game 3 for certain. Despite the 3-0 deficit, these Mavericks fans seem like they think Dallas can steal one. — Katie McInerney

Back to back buckets for Kyrie and Luka to open the game for the Mavericks. — Khari Thompson

The starting lineups — 8:35 p.m.

No surprises in the starting lineups. For the Celtics, it’ll be Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford. For Dallas, it’s Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.

Some big names in the crowd — 8:25 p.m.

Among the famous guests for Game 4 are Joel Embiid, Paul George, and former Patriot and Cowboy Stephon Gilmore.

A strong Boston presence in Dallas — 8:20 p.m.

Noticeably larger Celtics contingent here tonight. Already a pretty loud “Let’s go, Celtics” chant. — Adam Himmelsbach

Watch: Is Jaylen Brown the new king of Boston basketball? — 8:00 p.m.

Jayson Tatum is hitting some crazy pregame shots — 7:45 p.m.

Tatum nailed a hook shot from halfcourt during pregame warmups. He’s averaging 21.7 points per game this series.

Watch: Celtics on the brink of historic NBA Finals sweep — 7:20 p.m.

Kristaps Porzingis is available — 7:05 p.m.

Kristaps Porzingis, previously listed as questionable with an ankle injury, is available for Game 4. His minutes may be limited, according to coach Joe Mazzulla.

“He’s not quite there, but we’re gonna make him available,” Mazzulla said. “But we’re only going to use him in very specific instances if necessary.”

Live from TD Garden ... — 7:00 p.m.

Excitement is building as Celtics fans are beginning to flock to TD Garden for the Game 4 watch party for what could be a clinching victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The Celtics lead the series 3-0.

Around 16,000 fans are expected to fill the arena tonight for the sold-out watch party, not including the many more hunkering inside the cluster of bars around the Garden.

Starting at halftime, police will shut down Causeway Street in front of the Garden, from Merrimac to North Washington streets, and all feeder streets that connect Causeway to New Chardon Street. The street closures apply to vehicles and pedestrians.

“There will also be no re-entry to any licensed premises within the secured area from half time on,” a police spokesperson said.

Follow live fan updates inside the Garden, on Causeway, and inside area bars before and after the game.

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Kristaps Porzingis goes through warmups — 6:45 p.m.

By Emma Healy

Kristaps Porzingis, still listed as questionable with an ankle injury, was on the court putting shots up ahead of Game 4. He seemed to be moving more freely than he had in practice Thursday.

The Celtics announced earlier this week that they are evaluating Porzingis’s status on a day-to-day basis as he deals with a left posterior tibialis dislocation, which they described as a “rare” injury.

Jrue Holiday guided by faith on and off court — 6:30 p.m.

By Gary Washburn

Tattooed on Jrue Holiday’s left forearm is Philippians 4:6-7, a Bible passage that says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

It’s a piece of scripture Holiday can recite on demand, because it’s a belief that has guided his life as more than just a professional basketball player, one of the NBA’s top defenders, and one of the league’s best teammates. He is also a man who seems to have no enemies or adversaries, only family, friends, and admirers.

It’s about his growing family — his brothers Justin and Aaron, who also play in the NBA; his sister Lauren; his parents, who have been staples and role models in his life; his wife Lauren, who the Holidays all say is the best athlete in the family. It’s about his Celtics teammates and before them his teammates with the Bucks, Pelicans, and 76ers.

Jrue Holiday, the Celtics’ indispensable guard, has lived life motivated by his faith, which tells him to treat those around him better than himself, to care for those who need care, and to impact those close and not-so-close to him with generosity and concern.

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By Maddie Khaw

A few hours before 8:30 Wednesday night, while the Celtics were warming up for Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Dallas, Hassan Delaney was putting up shots at a basketball court in the Fenway neighborhood.

One court over from an intense pickup game, Delaney, 13, found a quiet hoop for himself, where he dribbled a ball through his plaid pajama pant-clad legs before tossing up a shot.

“I know they’re gonna go 3-0,” Delaney said before Boston’s win, which gave it a commanding lead in the series against the Mavericks. “I definitely trust in the Celtics.”

Delaney, who recently finished seventh grade at Roxbury Prep Mission Hill, wasn’t yet born the last time the Celtics won the title, in 2008. But he’s heard older fans tout the greatness of the franchise, and he believes this will be the year he gets to see them win it all.

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Tillman keeps his late father close — 6:00 p.m.

By Adam Himmelsbach

Before most games Celtics forward Xavier Tillman sits quietly at his locker, opens a small notebook, and does a Sudoku puzzle to calm his mind before battling against other basketball players. When he finishes, he writes his name and the date at the top of the page and tucks away the book until next time.

But over the past month, the empty spaces surrounding the puzzles have given Tillman a space to reflect, heal, and grieve. That is where he has written long messages to his father, Roosevelt, 58, who died unexpectedly May 19 at his home in Grand Rapids, Mich.

“I just talk to him about whatever I’m feeling going throughout the day,” Tillman said Thursday afternoon, sitting in a quiet corner of the American Airlines Center. “I tell him how I’m feeling, how much I miss him, and other things like that. It’s just as if I’m having a conversation with him.”

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Mazzulla emphasizes one game at a time — 5:45 p.m.

By Khari Thompson

An NBA-record 18th championship is on the line for the Celtics Friday night, along with the team’s perfect 3-0 record in closeout games this postseason.

They won those closeout games by an average of 17.3 points, beating the Heat by 34 in Game 4 of the opening round, topping the Cavaliers by 15 in Game 5 of the conference semifinals, and finishing off a sweep of Indiana with a 3-point victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics also came into the game perfect on the road this postseason (7-0), and they were one road win away from the title.

This was no time to let up the intensity, coach Joe Mazzulla said.

“It’s important because it’s the next game on the schedule,” Mazzulla said. “I mean, you can’t get to where you want to get to unless you win the next game.”

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Porzingis practices, but remains questionable — 5:30 p.m.

By Khari Thompson

Kristaps Porzingis took the floor at practice on Thursday wearing a T-shirt, while his teammates were in practice jerseys.

He took a number of set shots, some with both feet on the ground and others with one leg in the air. He did some light repetitions of face-up moves. But it’s still unclear whether he will play in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night.

The Celtics announced earlier this week that they are evaluating Porzingis’s status on a day-to-day basis as he deals with a left posterior tibialis dislocation. He didn’t look right ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday, so he sat out.

He has been listed as questionable for Game 4.

“Kristaps has gotten better from yesterday to today,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He’s fighting like hell to play. But it’s going to be up to us to protect him and to make sure that it’s in the best interest for him as a player and as a person.”

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Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac. Khari Thompson can be reached at khari.thompson@globe.com. Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn. Emma can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @_EmmaHealy_. Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com. Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.