NBA: Dante Exum and Josh Green support superstar Luka Doncic as Dallas Mavericks keep NBA Finals alive
Aussies Dante Exum and Josh Green provided valuable support for superstar Luka Doncic as the Dallas Mavericks kept the NBA Finals alive with a blowout defeat of Boston.
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Defence and bench support for superstar Luka Doncic had been the glaring holes that had seen Dallas slip to a 0-3 deficit to Boston in the NBA Finals.
Yet on the brink of oblivion, and facing the ignominy of an NBA Finals sweep, the Mavericks rectified both to keep its slim title hopes alive with a commanding 122-84 win in game four in Dallas on Saturday.
Doncic was immense, with 25 of his 29 points in the first half alongside five rebounds and five assists, and Kyrie Irving had 21 points and six assists.
But the bench led by Dereck Lively (nine of his 12 rebounds in the first half) and Australian pair Josh Green and Dante Exum stepped up to help transform the Mavericks who had previously been playing catch-up all series.
Green’s energy spark helped fire a first-quarter run that opened up a big Mavericks lead, punctuated by a spectacular follow dunk. Exum followed his lead in the second quarter, providing hustling defence and instant offence with a driving layup, followed by sweetly stroked triple.
It was the type of play that made Exum a favourite with Dallas fans when playing big minutes filling injury holes in the rotation during the regular season. His 13 minutes were the most he has played since the first game of the playoffs in April.
Exum finished with 10 points and two rebounds, while Green had with three points and five rebounds.
Doncic had been roundly criticised for his game three performance that saw him foul out and fall back on an old habit of spending more time whining to referees than playing defence, however his focus on the defensive end was indicative of a whole team performance.
The Mavericks held the Celtics to just 35 in the first half, Boston’s worst first half all season, and the lead swelled so much in the second half that Mavs coach Jason Kidd was afforded the luxury to rest Doncic, Irving and Lively for the entire fourth quarter.
“Our energy was higher and everybody was locked in at the defensive end,” Doncic said post-game. “We’ve gotta play the same way (in game five).
“Like I said at the beginning of the series, it’s first to four. We’re going to believe until the end.
“I have big belief in this team that we can do it.”
For the Celtics, talisman Jayson Tatum had 15 points and five rebounds.
While the Mavericks emphatic win will raise hopes of a miracle, the series heads back to Boston for game five on Monday morning with the Celtics an opportunity to close the series and take the title at home.
No team has ever recovered from a 0-3 scoreline in the NBA Finals. If the Mavericks can defy history again in Game 5, Game 6 will be in Dallas before Game 7 heads back to Boston if required.
Originally published as NBA: Dante Exum and Josh Green support superstar Luka Doncic as Dallas Mavericks keep NBA Finals alive
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