The Mavericks now know they have little to lose. With a mixture of resignation and lucid madness to try to achieve a feat never before achieved by anyone in the history of the NBA, the Texan team prepares game 4 hoping at least to be able to extend a series now compromised so as not to see, at least, the Celtics celebrate the title on your parquet. “We have to make history” Lively II tries to give some confidence to an environment that is currently depleted but the parquet of these Finals is clear: the Celtics, even without Kristaps Porzingis, seem decidedly superior. Luka Doncic naturally ended up in the dock, on the day after a disappointing performance by his standards, guilty of an approximate, and at times even irritating, defense, combined with constant complaints which probably contributed to making the trio reluctant to give the benefit of the doubt to the Slovenian on contacts in the fourth period which sent him to the bench with six fouls 4’38” from the siren.
dallas attitude
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“I have to do better from this point of view – comments Doncic – in the end the referees have the last word. The truth is that I want to win at all costs and sometimes I show it in the wrong way.” The Mavs star deserves criticism for his attitude in game 3 but it must also be underlined that not only did Dallas get to the Finals thanks to the impact of Doncic, but also in the first two matches of the series, with a confusing Irving, he Slovenian had to carry the Dallas attack on his shoulders. The truth is that this team is currently at a lower level than the Celtics, with too many supporting players who aren’t producing and with young players, even with great prospects like Lively II, who are inconsistent. To think that this very group can do what the 154 teams that previously found themselves down 0-3 in an NBA playoff series were unable to produce seems utopian. For their part, the Celtics want to close the discussion on Friday so as not to run any risks. Boston itself became, last year, the fourth team ever to drag a series in which it had found itself down 0-3 to Game 7, only to then suffer the famous home defeat against the Heat, and it certainly doesn’t want to give the minimal hope for Doncic and his teammates. “We absolutely must not think about the 3-0 – underlines coach Joe Mazzulla – those who risk the most, if we pay attention to all the talk about our advantage, are us. So we have to stay focused on our goal.”
porzingis
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Porzingis chapter. The player appears to be responding well to treatment and his use in game 4 cannot be ruled out, even if it appears more no than yes. For now, in the “Injury report” communicated by Boston it is considered “questionable” (therefore 50/50), and a decision will be made by the medical staff only a few minutes after the ball.
