Celtics defeat Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of NBA Finals
Boston Celtics take 1-0 lead in NBA Finals
Kristaps Porzingis puts up 20 points in return from injury
The Boston Celtics took an early lead in the NBA Finals with a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics with 22 points, while Jayson Tatum added 20 and Marcus Smart chipped in with 18. Kristaps Porzingis made his triumphant return from a calf injury with 20 points for the Mavericks, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Celtics' balanced attack.
The Celtics shot 50% from the field, compared to 40% for the Mavericks. Boston also outrebounded Dallas 45-32 and dished out 24 assists to the Mavericks' 16.
The Celtics took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 32-18. Brown and Tatum combined for 15 points in the quarter, and the Celtics' defense held the Mavericks to just 33% shooting.
The Celtics will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series when they host Game 2 on Friday night. The Mavericks will need to find a way to slow down Brown and Tatum if they want to stay in the series.
In the 22 years since the first-round series changed to best-of-seven, 44 teams total the Celtics 6-2 at home, 6-0 on the road, and Mavs 5-3.
The 2024 Boston Celtics completed one of the best seasons since 1974 as measured by the....
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