Magic Johnson provides a frank assessment of the Mavericks’ rout of the Celtics in Game 4.

If you had to miss Game 4 of the NBA Finals, don’t worry. Not only did Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Boston Celtics in a historic fashion, but Magic Johnson’s usually brief, straightforward analysis of the game is really all you need to see.

Following Dallas’ decisive 122-84 victory against Boston at American Airlines Center, the legendary star of the Los Angeles Lakers praised Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Dallas’ supporting cast on Twitter.

“Dallas played much more physical defense tonight and increased their intensity, which translated into a better offensive rhythm!” Johnson penned the letter.

“Luka and Kyrie looked like stars tonight, scoring 29 and 21 points, respectively, and they finally received some support from the bench in the form of Hardaway Jr., Lively, and Exum. I am forward to find out what transpires on Monday night in Boston!

Regarding the Mavericks’ general level of tenacity and intensity on the defensive end of the court, he is correct.

They played with the mentality of a team that genuinely feels it can become the first in NBA history to come back from a 0–3 deficit in the postseason. They were quicker on the draw, stronger on the glass, and rebounded faster than the Celtics.

With an incredibly dominant first half, Doncic drove the Mavs’ offense, going into the paint at will, launching mid-range jumpers, and setting up teammates for easy baskets.

Even more impressive was his play on defense, as he stopped drivers and exerted a constant effort with a lack of energy that was evident not only in his unsightly Game 3 but also throughout the championship series.

It’s difficult to imagine a superstar responding to his increasingly vociferous detractors in a more convincing way than Doncic did on Friday night, even though he missed all eight of his three-point shots.

In just 32 minutes, he ended with 29 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He always had a smile on his face and took care to keep officials at bay.

“First to four, as I mentioned at the start of this series. On the platform after the game, he declared, “We’re going to believe ’til the end.” “We simply must continue. I really believe that this squad can succeed; all we need to do is keep believing.

Irving followed suit, scoring 40 points in the first half alone alongside Doncic, helping Dallas build a commanding 26-point advantage at the half.

Another huge boost to Jason Kidd’s team came from the bench in the form of Dante Exum, who hit two threes, and Dereck Lively, who, particularly on the offensive glass, grabbed seven of Dallas’ misses from the minute he replaced Daniel Gafford a few minutes after tipoff.

However, don’t read too much into Johnson’s commendation of Hardaway. Even though Hardaway finished the game with a team-high 15 points off the bench on five three-pointers, all of his points came in the fourth quarter, which began with the Celtics behind 88-52 when Joe Mazzulla signaled for a timeout with 3:18 remaining in the third quarter.

Maybe Kidd will decide to dust off Hardaway for rotational minutes in Game 5 in response to his flaming garbage-time shooting.

Given that Kristaps Porzingis, whose absence on Friday loomed large, is likely to stay out and that the Mavs’ offense always functions better with dangerous perimeter shooters surrounding Doncic and Irving, it makes sense that Boston will play significantly better offensively on their home court.

With his long-range shooting ability, Hardaway can drastically change the course of a game in a matter of minutes. In Game 5, if Dallas is having trouble scoring early, don’t be shocked if Kidd plays him right away because the more assured Hardaway has found his rhythm.

That long-range weaponry might not be necessary for the Mavericks to continue this series, though. In Game 4, Doncic put forth one of his best performances to date, and his supporting group at last found their footing on both ends of the court.

Even while Dallas has at least demonstrated that it has what it takes to make this series competitive, the chances are still firmly in the Celtics’ favor.

“I can’t wait to see what happens back in Boston Monday night,” Johnson remarked eloquently.

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