The Boston Celtics silenced any doubt that they couldn’t handle the pressure by defeating the Dallas Mavericks, 107-89, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The Celtics were victorious in the series opener in front of a raucous crowd at TD Garden.
Kristaps Porzingis erupted for 20 points in his first game since April 27, while Jaylen Brown turned in an impressive performance on both ends of the floor to hold off Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
The Celtics center returned from a calf injury, but showed no signs of rust as he came off the bench to become Boston’s second-leading scorer that night. Porzingis took advantage of his scoring with six rebounds in 21 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Brown continued his incredible playoff form and left his fingerprints all over the victory.
Brown recorded 22 points, six rebounds and two assists while adding three blocks and three steals on the defensive end.
The Eastern Conference champions’ total effort involved every starter scoring double-digit points. Jayson Tatum recorded a double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Derick White supported the big three with 15 points and five assists. Meanwhile, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday scored ten and 12 points, respectively. Holiday also had eight rebounds and five assists, as Horford came within three rebounds of a double-double.
On the other hand, Luka Doncic’s game-high 30-point performance proved insufficient in the Mavs’ loss. The Mavericks’ poster boy built on his 30 points with ten assists and two steals.
PJ Washington had a decent performance with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Upon his return to Boston, Kyrie Irving received a less than friendly welcome from the fans. His performance gave them more ammunition as he struggled with just 12 points that night.
The treatment came after Irving clashed with Boston fans and was fined for using an obscene gesture during a 2022 playoff visit to TD Garden.
The Celtics, seeking their first championship since 2008, showed little rust following their 10-day layoff after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
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