DALLAS — Win or go home -- that's precisely what was on the minds of the Dallas Mavericks as they put on a dominant performance at home in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The Mavs started out strong, leading 34-21 after the first quarter -- and they never looked back.
The Mavs' impressive offensive first-half output -- and lack thereof in the Celtics' case -- gave the Mavs a 26-point lead at halftime. which was good enough to secure them the fourth-largest first half lead in NBA Finals history, according to Basketball Reference.
However, the records didn't stop there.
The Mavs continued their reign of terror on the Celtics until the final whistle, ultimately defeating them 122-84, coming close to breaking the record for the largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history, which is 42. Ultimately, the 38-point differential in Friday's game was the third-biggest blowout in NBA Finals history.
Meanwhile, the corner three that Derrick Lively II made in the first quarter -- his first-ever career make from behind the arc -- earned the 20-year-old center the distinction of being the youngest player in NBA Finals history to hit a three-pointer.
Really, though, story of this win starts with Doncic. The young Mavs star was able to drop 29 points alongside his co-star Kyrie Irving, who scored 21 before getting pulled out of the game.
The Mavs role players also played a good part in this win too as Dereck Lively II was able to put up 11 points and 12 rebounds.
While the Mavs are definitely not out of the woods yet, this game served as a much-needed confidence booster -- one that had to come tonight or else they would've had to see the Celtics claim a title in Dallas.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals is set for Monday, June 17, on WFAA (ABC).