Although the Boston Celtics hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, head coach Joe Mazzulla is reminding his team that the series is far from over. Using UFC highlights in film sessions, Mazzulla emphasizes the thin line between victory and defeat.
“If you’ve ever been in a fight with someone and you think you’re about to beat ‘em, you usually get sucker punched,” Mazzulla explained before Boston’s 106-99 victory over Dallas in Game 3 on Wednesday night. “The closer you are to beating them up, the closer you are to losing.”
Facing a 2-0 deficit entering Wednesday, the Mavericks gave their best effort in the fourth quarter. Boston led 91-70 after a Derrick White three-pointer with 11:07 left, but Dallas stormed back with a 22-2 run, narrowing the gap to 93-92 with 3:37 remaining, thanks to a Kyrie Irving jumper. However, the Celtics maintained their lead, moving one win away from their 18th title.
Historically, teams that lead 3-0 in a best-of-seven series are 156-0, but this statistic offers little comfort to Boston. In last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics found themselves in the same position as the Mavericks are now, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7 against the Miami Heat. However, Jayson Tatum’s ankle injury just 26 seconds into that game hindered him, leading to a 103-84 defeat.
“We really felt like we were going to come back,” Tatum recalled about the Miami series. “We almost did. … We were a sprained ankle away from having a real shot. So, you know, we are not relaxing or anything like that.”
Mavericks star Luka Doncic echoed a similar determination. “It’s not over till it’s over. We just got to believe,” he said. “Like I always say, it’s first to four. We’re going to stay together. We lose together, we win together.”
Doncic will seek redemption in Game 4 on Friday after a challenging fourth quarter in Game 3, where he fouled out with 4:12 remaining. The Mavericks, trailing by three, lost their best player when Doncic was called for a blocking foul on Jaylen Brown, a call that stood after a challenge.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd views the struggles in the Finals as a critical learning experience. “I think the history is there for us to learn from,” Kidd said. “You look at great players and the struggles they had. When you look at the Celtics, they lost to the Warriors two years ago and to Miami in Game 7 last season. The experience of understanding that you’re not promised to get back, that you’ve got to work.”
Game 4 will be crucial for both teams, with the Celtics aiming to secure their 18th championship and the Mavericks fighting to stay alive.
