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Happy Friday, Enjoyers!

We’re hosting a Game 4 Watch Party TONIGHT. Come through and meet some like-minded hoops lovers in YOUR city!

Here's how it works:

🙋‍♂️ We need at least one volunteer host for each city to pick their favorite place as the Enjoy Watch Party location
🔗 Click here to RSVP to the event in your city
🏀 Meet up with fellow Enjoyers & fans of Numbers on the Board!
🔥 Chances to win free Enjoy gear for attending

Whether you’re a Celtics fan bubbling with excitement, a Mavericks fan hoping to make history, or simply Enjoying the game, we’re happy you’re here.

Today’s Lineup

Wednesday’s Action

Celtics jump to 3-0 series lead with 106-99 win over Dallas

Ever heard of “A Tale of Two Cities”? And no, we’re not talking about the J. Cole song—although it is gas.

Well, this game was a tale of two halves. Dallas led for the entirety of the first quarter and stayed competitive with the Celtics all the way through the second. Kyrie and Luka combined for 27 points and the Mavs defense held Jaylen Brown, who had been dominant in the series up until that point, to just six points. Dallas was up 51-50 at the break and there was a different vibe in the stadium than there had been in Games 1 and 2.

But then, the Celtics happened. JB exploded (literally) for 24 points after halftime, Derrick White hit three huge three-pointers down the stretch and played an incredible all-around game, and neither Kyrie nor Luka hit a single three in the entire second half. A perplexing sequence in the waning minutes of the game solidified the win for Boston, who now have a chance to take home the Larry O’Brien tonight.

Remembering Jerry West 💙

Few have made as big of an impact on the game of basketball as Jerry West did. After all, very few people make it into the Hall of Fame.

But West did it three times.

Right after graduating from West Virginia, West won gold with the 1960 USA Olympic basketball team, a unit that was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 for its success on an international stage. Then, after his incredible 14-year career with the Lakers during which he was named to 14 All-Star games and ten All-NBA First Teams, West was inducted again in 1980 as an individual player. And earlier this year it was announced that West would be put in the Hall of Fame once more for his contributions to the sport as an executive and general manager.

There are countless other statistics and accolades we could list when talking about Jerry West’s legacy. From winning the Finals in 1972 while also leading the league in assists that year, to earning the scoring champion honor in 1970, to being the (albeit unofficial) inspiration for the NBA’s logo—West was a pillar of the sport of basketball. RIP 💙

Back to the Past

The Celtics are up 3-0 against the Mavericks, and although we don’t want to count Dallas out from making history and leading the ultimate comeback, history does, in fact, speak for itself. Does 0-156 ring a bell?

So to celebrate the 2024 Boston Celtics’ near-ascension into the NBA history books, let’s go back in time to the last Finals that Boston won—all the way back to 2008.

The Celtics were led by an incredible top group in the 2007-08 season. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen all averaged 17+ PPG in the regular season, with 21-year-old Rajon Rondo averaging 10 and 5 at the point. And when the Finals rolled around, Boston got it done against Kobe and the Lakers in six games. Allen shot 52.4% from three, Pierce led the team averaging 21.8 PPG, and KG averaged an 18-13 double-double to hand Kobe a series loss in the Finals for just the second time ever.

2008 wasn’t all smooth sailing in Boston sports, however. Despite a perfect 16-0 regular season led by Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker, the New England Patriots lost to the Eli Manning-led New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The Giants’ 17-14 victory was one of the biggest upsets in sports to date, and it’s widely considered one of the greatest Super Bowls EVER.

But what about outside of sports? Topping the charts the week the Celtics won the 2008 Finals was an absolute classic—Lil Wayne and Static’s Lollipop. Off of Tha Carter III, one of the most legendary hip-hop albums of all time, this track ended up winning Best Rap Song at the Grammys. Take a listen to bring yourself alllll the way back: ⬇️

Three in the Key

Signing Off

Remember! If you want access to Out Of Bounds, our biweekly newsletter about the business, fashion, and off-the-court aspects of hoops culture, refer the newsletter to a friend using the custom link down below. If you do, we’ll see you on Sunday!

Otherwise, talk to you Monday. Who knows—we might have crowned a champion by then…

-Austin Zeglis