Breathe a sigh of relief, Dallas. Your Mavericks will not be swept in these 2024 NBA Finals after Friday’s 122-84 thrashing of the Boston Celtics in Game 4 at American Airlines Center.
The Mavs finally played the inspired brand of basketball on both ends of the court in the one-sided Game 4 affair that helped them conquer the Western Conference on this playoff run. And it didn’t hurt that, at the same time, the Celtics couldn’t hit the broad side of a big ole’ barn when they had the ball.
Even if all the Game 4 win accomplishes is delaying what is still at least a little bit inevitable, the entire roster — nay, the entire organization — nay, the entire region — needed this win in a bad way after the bad taste left over from Game 3’s collapse. Luka Dončić scored 29 points in just 32 minutes and Kyrie Irving added 21 in just 30 minutes, as the Mavs’ star duo both rested for the final 14 minutes of the win.
The 84 points the Mavericks held Boston to in Game 4 was seven points fewer than their previous low-point output in a game this year, which came in a 104-91 loss to the Bucks in April after the Celtics had already clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.
And that was a freebie, so here are six more key stats from the season-saving win that, in the grand scheme, really only brings a slight breeze back into the Mavericks’ sails. But, hey, as North Texans can attest this time of year, a slight breeze is better than no breeze.
The Mavs’ 38-point win represents the third-highest margin of victory ever in an NBA Finals game. Celtics coach Joe Mazzula waved the white flag and took out his starters late with 3:18 left in the third quarter.
Dallas led by as many as 48 points in the lopsided win. Jaden Hardy put Dallas ahead 115-67 midway through the fourth on a 3-pointer assisted by Tim Hardaway Jr. in extended garbage time.
The Mavs kept the Boston offense in front of them on defense, avoiding the dreaded blow-by, which in turn prevented the Celtics from getting as many open 3-pointers on kickouts.
Dallas held Jaylen Brown to 3-of-12 shooting. They held Jayson Tatum to 4-of-10, and Derrick White to 2-of-8 in the win. No one in green scored more than 15 points in Game 4.
The Mavericks put the game away early with a run that started in the first quarter and leaked into the second. Dallas and Boston traded jabs for the first six minutes of the game, as is customary in this series, before Xavier Tillman’s 3-point play in the lane pulled them to within one, down 15-14, with 5:36 left in the frame.
In the next two minutes and change, the Mavs rattled off 10 straight points, six coming from Dončić. He bullied his way to 13 points in the first with businesslike precision an attack-first, complain-less attitude.
That 10-0 spurt became a 21-7 run early in the second when Dante Exum drove through the teeth of that vaunted Celtics defense for a nice finish to give the Mavs their largest lead of the series to that point, 36-21, with 11 minutes left in the first half.
Dallas had a 12-point lead early in Game 3, but collapsed for the next two-plus quarters to lose in demoralizing fashion. On Friday, though, the Mavericks turned on the afterburners with that 15-point lead. After Jaylen Brown went 1-for-2 from the free throw line, the Mavs outscored the Celtics 22-13 in the final nine minutes of the first half to take a 61-35 lead into the break.
The Mavericks owned the paint against the Celtics Friday, the same way they did against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves win Rounds 2 and 3 of this playoff run. Boston did not score a basket inside the 3-point line at all in the second quarter, and that’s exactly when the game got away from them.
Everyone who entered the game for the Mavericks was active on the boards. The effort was relentless, and it translated to a lopsided win in the battle of the boards as well.
Dereck Lively II earned his second straight double-double in these NBA Finals with 11 points and 12 rebounds. His 11 points and 13 boards in Game 3 may have been Dallas’ lone bright spot in that otherwise horrific loss. He brings an energy off the bench that is unmatched on this roster.
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Visions of sugarplums danced in the heads of Mavs fans everywhere when Dončić found Lively alone in the right corner midway through the first quarter and the big man rose up for a 3-pointer with the confidence of guard and splashed in his only attempt from deep of these playoffs.
With the 3-pointer, Lively is now the youngest player ever to make a 3-pointer in the NBA Finals. He’s also now the only player in Mavericks franchise history to record four or more offensive rebounds and hit a 3-pointer in one half of a playoff game. The 13 rebounds he grabbed in Game 3 made him the youngest player in NBA history to record double-digit boards in an NBA Finals game. Only Lively and someone named Magic Johnson have ever recorded back-to-back double-doubles at age 20 in NBA Finals history. If we are effusive in our praise of the youngster, it’s because he continues to make it crystal clear at every turn that he is no normal rookie.
We’ve heard tell of a developing jump shot from the 20-year-old rookie, but seeing him hit one in the NBA Finals can only make one wonder just how good this kid can be going forward. Even if the Mavs can’t pull off the impossible in the next three few games, Lively’s continued development will be huge for this team in the coming years. He’s grown so much throughout this playoff run, and the sky appears to be the limit for this young man.
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If Dallas had a city-owned competitive indoor track, thousands of athletes from across the region and neighboring states would compete right here in our hometown.
While there are recreational indoor walking tracks in the Dallas area, there are currently no indoor track facilities that meet competition standards. Many recreation centers have small indoor tracks for walking or casual jogging, but none meet the size, surfacing or layout requirements needed to host high school or college meets.
Coaches from Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas and Texas Christian University all agree: Without an indoor track, teams must drive hours to compete or train.
As one of SMU’s coaches, Leo Settle put it, “Teams travel to College Station, Houston and Lubbock for indoor competition. There are four NCAA Division I programs in D-FW, and it would be a great facility for hosting home meets.”
Dallas is already funding a major reimagining of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Its expansion brings more conventions, tourism and year-round downtown activity. That expansion is the perfect opportunity to add an indoor track serving students, clubs and colleges.
Why build it now? Three reasons.
Athletes need it. Indoor season is not a luxury. It helps athletes refine technique, avoid injury in bad weather and remain competitive for outdoor track. UTD’s program — recently the subject of a petition to reinstate their track and cross country program — shows how essential local opportunities can be and how removing them disadvantages emerging athletes.
“An independent track, or one in partnership with a city or county, would be a huge advantage for North Texas,” said Stuart Kantor, executive director of the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association. There will be interest from college conferences, USA Track and Field, Amateur Athletic Union and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, he added.
John Joseph-Youssef, a former UTD athlete, agreed, “Indoor track bridges into the outdoor track season. It provides a controlled environment, free from wind and weather.”
The economic benefits are clear. Crowley High School in Fort Worth is building a $150 million indoor and outdoor track complex hosting state and regional meets, tournaments and events. Even at the high school level, indoor competition has taken off. For Dallas, a city of 1.3 million people, the absence of a comparable facility is a missed opportunity. LeTourneau University, in Longview, is also installing a facility, signaling growing interest in other parts of the state.
The timing couldn’t be better. Dallas voters have already supported investments in a new convention center to boost downtown activity. An athletic facility should be considered to turn a civic project into a community asset. Conference offices based in D-FW could bring championships here; high school meets could avoid all-day road trips; colleges could access invitationals they otherwise might miss.
This isn’t about elite programs. Coaches across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas note that Division II and III teams often struggle to enter invitationals hosted by larger programs. An accessible indoor track would serve local athletes and competitors from across the region. That was the central message of the petition to save UTD’s programs: These sports expand access to higher education for students from diverse backgrounds.
City leaders are choosing what kind of Dallas to build. If the convention center expansion is supposed to increase activity, then let it be a place that supports our local athletes, provides a safe place to compete, and pays for itself. Choose the kind of city that keeps athletes in town and brings thousands of visitors here to compete and spend.
Dallas has the chance to lead and flourish. Include a portable indoor track in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center expansion during the indoor season — or build a permanent facility — and prioritize access for high schools, clubs and colleges.
Keely Aguilar is a Dallas high school student and competitive distance runner.
DALLAS – Get ready for a weather whiplash… After Monday’s record-tying heat, the Metroplex faces a week of summery temperatures mixed with rounds of rain and storms.
What we know:
The unseasonable warmth continues Tuesday, with another potential record-breaking day. The National Weather Service forecasts temperatures near 87 degrees, which would likely tie or break the current record of 83 degrees for the date at DFW. We have a 95% chance of achieving this.
Tuesday will begin with more clouds and a stronger breeze, but remain rain-free. Isolated to scattered showers will be possible, mainly west of I-35. More widespread showers and storms are expected to develop initially to the west Tuesday evening, according to the NWS. A few storms could become strong to severe, bringing locally heavy rainfall.
Rain chances on Wednesday afternoon will be about 20%, particularly south and west of DFW. A few light showers and rumbles are also possible early Wednesday and overnight into Thursday. Wednesday night rain chances will increase to 50%. While flood concerns are relatively low Wednesday, they will ramp up Thursday with a slight potential for flash flooding.
More rain and gusty thunderstorms are expected on Thursday with the potential for heavy rainfall, which could increase flood concerns. 80% of the area is expected to see showers and storms. Commuters should be aware of potential hazards during the Thursday morning commute.
Rain totals through Friday will likely range between one and two inches.
Once the weather system moves out, the area will briefly dry out and see sunshine and cooler conditions Friday, though temperatures will still be in the mid-70s. Rain chances will return this weekend, finally bringing temperatures that feel a little more like November.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service.
Five men were arrested this month in connection to a $1 million cargo theft operation where tires, rims, more than $32,000, appliances and other merchandise was recovered, Dallas police said.
The five men, who were arrested Nov. 1, are accused of taking part in at least 10 cargo thefts across the Dallas-Fort Worth area that date back to 2022, Dallas police said in a news release this week.
Officers discovered the theft ring after being alerted Nov. 1 of a stolen trailer being pulled by a semi-truck into a repair shop in the 5200 block of University Hills Boulevard, police said.
Officers confirmed the trailer was the one reported stolen by the Benbrook Police Department, then detained the semi-truck driver and two other suspects, police said.
While speaking with the suspects, it was determined that the repair shop owner and manager, who were both there, were also involved in the theft operation, police said.
Further investigation revealed that the repair shop was being used to store stolen cargo, police said. Under a search warrant, police said they seized $32,553 and recovered approximately $1 million in stolen items, including:
Dallas police recovered tires, rims, $32,000, appliances, motor oil and other merchandise during a cargo theft operation bust, where five men were arrested at a repair shop in the 5200 block of University Hills Boulevard on November 1, 2025.
Dallas Police Department / Dallas Police Department
The five men arrested all face felony charges, according to police.
Johnny Veail, 39, faces an unauthorized use of a motor vehicle charge.
Abdullah Majeed, 39, Mohammad Husainy, 37, and Anthony Walker, 54, all face a theft of property greater than or equal to $300,000 charge.
Justin Kenney, 37, faces a theft of property greater than or equal to $300,000 and a Benbrook Police Department warrant hold for theft of property less than $150,000.
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