Taking a 3-0 lead over Dallas, many believed that the Celtics would close the deal in Game 4 and bag their 18th Championship. But not many expected the Mavs to bounce back the way they did, getting one of the most lopsided wins in NBA Finals history and keeping their season alive. Scoring 122 points and limiting the Cs to only 84, Luka Doncic’s squad blew the visitors out by a whopping 38 points. Despite the massive win margin, they fell short of matching the dominance of Michael Jordan and the Bulls back in 1998.

Entering their name in the record books, Dallas’ 38-point win tonight became the 3rd-highest win margin in the NBA Finals history. However, the record still belongs to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls when they faced the Utah Jazz. It was Game 3 of the series while His Airness was pursuing his 2nd three-peat and the Bulls dominated Karl Malone and the crew at home with a 96-54 victory. Yes, a 42-point win in the NBA Finals was never done before and has never been replicated since.

Forcing the Jazz to commit 26 fouls during that historic game, MJ’s squad limited them to the lowest total by any team in playoff history. And it comes as no surprise that Jordan was the highest-scoring player in that game, finishing with 24 points. While every Bulls player who stepped on the floor that night scored at least one basket, four Jazz players added to their humiliation by going scoreless. The only Utah player to have a decent performance and get into double digits was Karl Malone, who scored 22 of Utah’s 54 points.

For those wondering, the Celtics hold the 2nd highest win record with their 39-point victory against the Lakers in 2008. Boston shut down the LA side winning 131-92! Speaking of them, what did Doncic and Co. do differently in Game 4?

What changed for the Mavs tonight?

Although Luka and the crew would have loved to break Jordan’s record, the more important thing was that they were able to get a win and extend the series. Showing a side of the team we hadn’t seen in the last three games, Luka revealed after the game what changed. “Our energy was way higher. Everybody was locked in on the defensive end and we played with higher pace.” Going off for 25 points in the first half, Luka set the tone for his team early and got them a commanding lead. But what was more impressive was that Dallas’ defense held the Celtics to only thirty-five points in the first half, their lowest first-half total this season.

Grabbing rebounds, fighting for loose balls, and closing out quickly on their opponents, the Mavs impressed with their sense of urgency and will to win. If they want to create history, becoming the first team to win a series from a three-zip deficit, they will need to replicate the same energy in every game from now on. And even Luka admitted, “We gotta play the same way.” With the series now heading back to Boston for Monday’s game, it will be interesting to see if the Mavs generate the second shockwave in Game 5.

Before you go, do not forget to check out what Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato has to say about Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise to stardom. Keep checking this space for more such updates.