The Boston Celtics are one win away from a record 18th NBA Finals title. They will aim to sweep the Dallas Mavericks when they meet again for Game 4 in their best-of-seven series on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET. If the Celtics win again, they will add to their franchise's storied history by securingtheir first title since 2008.
On Wednesday, Boston held off a furious Dallas fourth-quarter comeback in Game 3 and won 106-99. The Celtics got 61 combined points from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as Boston improved to 7-0 on the road in the 2024 playoffs.
Dallas fell down by 21 points but went on a 22-2 run to cut the lead to one point. Luka Doncic, however, fouled out for the first time in his playoff career and the Mavericks couldn't get over the hump with their superstar on the bench. Doncic finished with 27 points while Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 35.
Boston also improved to 10-1 in these playoffs without Kristaps Porzingis after the 7-foot-2 Latvian was ruled out before the gamebecause of a rare tendon injury in his lower left leg sustained in Game 2. On Thursday, coach Joe Mazzulla saidthe Celtics center is 'fighting like hell to play' in Game 4, but his status for the rest of the series is still up in the air.
No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in the NBA Finals. Boston can become the 10th team to ever sweep its opponent in the NBA Finals if they win Friday's Game 4. Regardless of which of these remaining teams win the 2024 title, the NBA will have its sixth different champion in six years -- something that has not happened since 1975-1980.
The postseason field started with 20 teams, and now we're down to two. The Warriors, Kings, Hawks and Bulls were ousted in the Play-In Tournament before the Pelicans, Suns, Clippers, Lakers, Heat, 76ers, Bucks and Magic were eliminated in the first round. The Cavaliers, Thunder, Knicks and Nuggets were sent home in the second round with the Pacers and Timberwolves bowing out in the conference finals.
Here's a look at the upcoming schedule, as well as all the playoff scores. All games airing on ABC, ESPN and NBA TV are streaming onfubo(try for free).
Celtics vs. Mavericks, Game 4
Where to watch
Time: 8:30 p.m ET |Date: Friday, June 14
Location: American Airlines Center -- Dallas
TV channel: ABC |Streaming:ABC/fubo
Below is a look at the complete playoff bracket:
2024 NBA playoff bracket
NBA Finals scores, upcoming schedule
(All times Eastern)
Game 1
Celtics 107, Mavericks 89 (Boston leads 1-0)
Game 2
Celtics 105, Mavericks 98 (Boston leads 2-0)
Game 3
Celtics 106, Mavericks 99 (Boston leads 3-0)
Friday, June 14
NBA Finals Game 4: 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Monday, June 17
NBA Finals Game 5*: 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Thursday, June 20
NBA Finals Game 6*: 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Sunday, June 23
NBA Finals Game 7*: 8 p.m., ABC/fubo
* if necessary
Conference finals scores
Celtics vs. Pacers
Game 1: Celtics 133, Pacers 128 (OT)
Game 2: Celtics 126, Pacers 110
Game 3: Celtics 114, Pacers 111
Game 4: Celtics 105, Pacers 102
(Boston wins series 4-0)
Timberwolves vs. Mavericks
Game 1: Mavericks 108, Timberwolves 105
Game 2: Mavericks 109, Timberwolves 108
Game 3: Mavericks 116, Timberwolves 107
Game 4: Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 100
Game 5: Mavericks 124, Timberwolves 103
(Dallas wins series 4-1)
Second-round scores
Celtics vs. Cavaliers
Game 1: Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95
Game 2: Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94
Game 3: Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93
Game 4: Celtics 109, Cavaliers 102
Game 5: Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98
(Boston wins series 4-1)
Knicks vs. Pacers
Game 1: Knicks 121, Pacers 117
Game 2: Knicks 130, Pacers 121
Game 3: Pacers 111, Knicks 106
Game 4: Pacers 121, Knicks 89
Game 5: Knicks 121, Pacers 91
Game 6: Pacers 116, Knicks 103
Game 7: Pacers 130, Knicks 109
(Indiana wins series 4-3)
Thunder vs. Mavericks
Game 1: Thunder 117, Mavericks 95
Game 2: Mavericks 119, Thunder 110
Game 3: Mavericks 105, Thunder 101
Game 4: Thunder 100, Mavericks 96
Game 5: Mavericks 104, Thunder 92
Game 6: Mavericks 117, Thunder 116
(Dallas wins series 4-2)
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
Game 1: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99
Game 2: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 80
Game 3: Nuggets 117, Timberwolves 90
Game 4: Nuggets 115, Timberwolves 107
Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 97
Game 6: Timberwolves 115, Nuggets 70
Game 7: Timberwolves 98, Nuggets 90
(Minnesota wins series 4-3)
First-round scores
Celtics vs. Heat
Game 1: Celtics 114, Heat 94
Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101
Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84
Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88
Game 5: Celtics 118, Heat 84
(Boston wins series 4-1)
Knicks vs. 76ers
Game 1: Knicks 111, 76ers 104
Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101
Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114
Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92
Game 5: 76ers 112, Knicks 106 (OT)
Game 6: Knicks 118, 76ers 115
(Knicks win series 4-2)
Bucks vs. Pacers
Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94
Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 108
Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 (OT)
Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113
Game 5: Bucks 115, Pacers 92
Game 6: Pacers 120, Bucks 98
(Indiana wins series 4-2)
Cavaliers vs. Magic
Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83
Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic 86
Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 83
Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89
Game 5: Cavaliers 104, Magic 103
Game 6: Magic 103, Cavaliers 96
Game 7: Cavaliers 106, Magic 94
(Cleveland wins series 4-3)
Thunder vs. Pelicans
Game 1: Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92
Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85
Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89
(Oklahoma City wins series 4-0)
Nuggets vs. Lakers
Game 1: Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99
Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105
Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108
Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106
(Denver wins series 4-1)
Timberwolves vs. Suns
Game 1: Timberwolves 120, Suns 95
Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93
Game 3: Timberwolves 126, Suns 109
Game 4: Timberwolves 122, Suns 116
(Minnesota wins series 4-0)
Clippers vs. Mavericks
Game 1: Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90
Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111
Game 5: Mavericks 123, Clippers 93
Game 6: Mavericks 114, Clippers 101
(Dallas wins series 4-2)
