It will take more than four games to decide the 2024 NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics jumped out to a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks. But the C's didn't come close to hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy and popping champagne at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday.
The Mavs recorded one of the biggest routs in NBA Finals history to avoid being swept, rolling past the Celtics 122-84 in Game 4. Dallas' 38-point blowout win forces a Game 5 back in Boston on Monday.
History says the Celtics are still very strong favorites to capture Banner 18. But here's a look at the exclusive company they could have joined by winning the series in four games:
Has there ever been a sweep in the NBA Finals?
Yes, but it hasn't happened very often.
How many NBA Finals have been sweeps?
Since 1947, there have been only nine sweeps in the Finals.
When was the last sweep in the NBA Finals?
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
The most recent NBA Finals sweep was in 2018, when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors squared off for a fourth straight year. After Golden State won the 2017 Finals over Cleveland in five games, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Co. swept the LeBron James-led Cavs in 2018.
That marked the first Finals sweep since 2007.
NBA Finals 4-0 sweep history
Here's a full look at each 4-0 sweep in NBA Finals history:
- 2018: Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2007: San Antonio Spurs over Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2002: Los Angeles Lakers over New Jersey Nets
- 1995: Houston Rockets over Orlando Magic
- 1989: Detroit Pistons over Los Angeles Lakers
- 1983: Philadelphia 76ers over Los Angeles Lakers
- 1975: Golden State Warriors over Washington Bullets
- 1971: Milwaukee Bucks over Baltimore Bullets
- 1959: Boston Celtics over Minneapolis Lakers
How many NBA teams have come back from a 3-0 series deficit?
After beating the Celtics in Game 4, the Mavs are looking to become the first team to ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs. Teams that opened a 3-0 series lead in an NBA postseason series have gone 156-0, including the nine sweeps in the NBA Finals.
Only one team has come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals to win the championship: the 2016 Cavaliers, who won three straight games to stun the Warriors.
