There were many people who thought Friday night would mark the end of the 2023–24 NBA season because the Boston Celtics had the chance to sweep the Dallas Mavericks and claim the championship. But the Mavericks had other plans and scored a huge win over the Celtics to force a Game 5 in Boston.
On NBA TV, Charles Barkley was so impressed by Dallas’ performance that he made a strong claim: “Mavs in seven!” Barkley shouted, holding a sign that predicted the Mavericks overcoming the odds and taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Following Friday night’s game, there are a few more Mavericks fans who think this could be possible, but it won’t be easy. The Mavericks played terrific basketball on both ends of the court during Game 4. Everyone was on the same page and performing to the best of their abilities.
The bitter truth for Mavericks fans is that if Dallas had played like this all series long, things would be very different. Their massive win was inspiring and surely motivating for the players and now they have to remain in a confident headspace for Monday night’s game. The series is moving back to Boston and the Celtics will be even more driven to win at home and close out this series.
Most analysts and fans still believe the Celtics will win this series and no team has ever rebounded from a 0-3 deficit. But if the Mavericks can claim another victory on Monday night, there will be a reason to believe that maybe history is about to be made. More people could agree with Barkley on Monday night if the Mavericks pull off back-to-back wins.
