After a pair of pivotal Game 4s took place in the conference semifinals Sunday, two more are on deck Monday night. On Saturday, the Boston Celtics took control of their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers behind big performances from stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, earning a 106-93 victory to bounce back from a Game 2 loss. The Dallas Mavericks got a lift from P.J. Washington, who scored 27 points and hit five 3-pointers to power Dallas to a 2-1 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, all four teams will once again square off Monday night, with the Celtics and Mavericks looking to move to the brink of advancing to the conference finals, and the Cavaliers and Thunder trying to even things up and turn both series into best-of-three affairs.
In Game 3, Boston showcased exemplary defensive performance to take back control of their series against Cleveland. While Donovan Mitchell had a sensational game for the Cavaliers, the rest of the team struggled to score efficiently. Boston's suffocating defense, especially in their starting lineup, limited Cleveland's offensive output and secured the win.
However, a concerning trend for Boston was the fatigue shown by Al Horford, who played heavy minutes in Game 3. With the absence of Kristaps Porzingis due to injury, the Celtics might face challenges managing Horford's workload as the playoffs progress.
On the other hand, Dallas' star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving has faced defensive pressure from the Thunder, leading to a decrease in their scoring output. Despite this, the Mavericks have managed to take a series lead, largely due to the unexpected rise of P.J. Washington, who has been a key contributor offensively.
Oklahoma City's defensive strategy of focusing on Doncic and Irving has allowed Washington to shine, making the Thunder rethink their defensive approach. The role players for the Thunder need to step up and provide additional scoring support to counter Dallas' defensive tactics.
As both series head into Game 4, adjustments in defensive strategies and offensive contributions from role players will be crucial for all four teams to secure pivotal wins and potentially advance to the conference finals.
