The lost Game 4 of the to the in blowout fashion, only scoring 84 points in a 38-point defeat in Dallas. With a chance to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy with a win in Game 4, and a sweep for the series, the Celtics failed to get the job done, leading to a Game 5 back in Boston where the Celtics will look to seal the deal once again. One of the biggest reasons why the Celtics weren't able to complete their mission in Game 4 was because of Dallas' long and athletic man in the middle, , who has been playing spectacularly in the post-season despite his rookie status.
Dereck Lively II Made an Instant Impact in Game 4 Lively's Game 4 performance continued his incredibly productive playoff run, as he scored 11 points and grabbed seven offensive rebounds in the Mavericks' 122-84 victory at home. Lively also sank a catch-and-shoot three-pointer from the right corner, the first long-range hit of his short professional career either in the regular season or playoffs. After Dallas' head coach saw that wasn't getting off to a hot start as the team's starting center, Kidd threw Lively into the game after only 2:30.
Looking back now, it's clear to see that it was the right decision, as Lively fought on every play to keep possessions alive for Dallas, helping the team score 16 second-chance points in the contest. OFF RTG 125.0 DEF RTG 81.
4 EFG% 90.0% OREB% 28.0% NET RTG 43.
6 After the game, Lively took some time to answer questions from reporters during his media availability slot. Other tha.
