With 4:12 remaining in the game, the Boston guard dribbled between the superstar’s legs, ducked his shoulder, and made contact that sent both players hard to the ground. The superstar was defending Jaylen Brown in his first NBA Finals.Doncic, who was sitting on the floor in shock and had both of his arms raised in the air, was called for a foul.

Coach Jason Kidd’s fruitless attempt to dispute the call resulted in Doncic’s fourth foul of the game and the end of his night. After the Boston Celtics defeated the Mavericks 106-99 on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the series, the Mavericks were also all but done for the game and possibly the series.

Yes, we did have a decent chance. We had a close relationship. I simply didn’t grasp it,” Doncic remarked. “I wish I were in the field.”

After nearly winning a crucial game before Doncic fouled out, the Mavericks are now in a potentially unavoidable hole in these NBA Finals. Shortly after his first foul of the quarter, they went on a 22-2 run that finished with him sitting on the bench.

In a best-of-seven NBA playoff series, a club has dropped its opening three games for the 157th time. Only four of them have ever forced a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, and that only occurred in 1951 when the New York Knicks did just that. None of them have ever recovered to win the series.

Despite only making one of his seven 3-point attempts, Doncic finished with 27 points before fouling out for the third time in his six NBA seasons (400 games during the regular season and 51 more during the postseason). Before his whistle-plagued 7 1/2 minutes, he had never committed four fouls in a single quarter.

Really, I’m not sure. We were not able to play rough. I’m not sure. Doncic stated, “I don’t want to say anything.”

Six fouls in the NBA Finals, you know, I’m basically like this,” he added, raising his palms in the air. “Come on, dude. superior to that.

Following the replay appeal, Brown missed a 13-foot attempt, and with 3:37 remaining, the Mavericks, who had jumped out to a 22-9 lead in the opening 6:12 of the game, were within 93-92 thanks to a 17-foot jumper from Kyrie Irving. They had only gotten as close as that before Brown tipped in a Jayson Tatum miss.

Just 26 seconds had passed between Doncic’s fifth and sixth fouls, both of which involved Brown and the play when it looked like the Celtics guard might have hooked Doncic.

If Kidd wanted to keep Doncic in the game, he had to try on the next one, even if there wasn’t one at the time.

I was unable to move. I have to argue with it,” Kidd remarked. It was a tight call, so I had to challenge. However, the official declared it a foul. You have to move on and onward.”

The Mavericks must win Game 4 on Friday night in order to send the series back to Boston.

Until it’s over, it’s not over. All we need to do is have faith. Doncic stated, “It’s first to fourth, like I usually say.” “We intend to remain a unit. Together, we lose, but together, we triumph. Thus, we had to remain a unit.