DALLAS — We noted after Game 3 an eye-popping stat about Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr.: Zero total points since the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
For a player who was the Mavs' third-leading scorer in the regular season, it was problematic that Hardaway Jr. was not playing up to that same standard. Well, keeping that same energy, it's only right to give the man his flowers and acknowledge the playoff record he broke in Game 4.
Hardaway Jr. came into Game 4 and lit up the gym with five 3-pointers in the 4th quarter during a timespan of two minutes and 39 seconds of game clock. His five threes were the most an Maverick has ever made in a single NBA Finals game, per MavsMuse.
Dallas was up 92-60 when Hardaway Jr. checked into the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but he took the noise in the AAC to another level.
His fourth quarter scoring burst helped propel the Mavs to the largest lead at any point of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era (since 1996), according to Mavs announcer Mark Followill. Dallas led 115-67 mid-way through the fourth quarter.
It was said at the end of the last article about Hardaway Jr.: "If Dallas is going to make history and become the first NBA team in 157 tries to win four straight to claim the NBA Finals, the notoriously streaky Hardaway Jr. finally heating up would sure be a big help."
They didn't necessarily need Hardaway's five threes in Game 4 (already up by 32 when he checked in), but Hardaway Jr. being hot from beyond the arc opens so many things for the Mavs. And it seems he may have lit the match.
The Mavericks tip off against Boston for Game 5 from the TD Garden on Monday, June 17. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. CT and will air on WFAA (ABC).
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