Boston Celtics Dominate Mavericks: Porzingis Shines in Game 1 NBA Finals Victory
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
Kristaps Porzingis refrained from making any predictions about how his body would respond as the NBA Finals approached, following over a month on the sidelines due to a calf injury.
It turns out, he responded just fine.
Jaylen Brown scored 22 points, and Porzingis made an immediate impact off the bench, adding 20 points as the Boston Celtics surged past the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 on Thursday night in Game 1.
Derrick White chipped in with 15 points for Boston, which jumped to a 29-point lead in the first half and drained 16 three-pointers in a dominant start to their pursuit of an 18th NBA title.
Porzingis, the 7-footer who hadn’t played since April 29, also contributed six rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes of action.
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“Tonight was affirmation to myself that I’m pretty good,” Porzingis said. “I’m not perfect, but I can play like this and I can add to this team.”
Porzingis was the last Celtics player to hit the court for pregame warmups, receiving a surge of energy from the home crowd as they erupted when he emerged from the tunnel. All-Star Jayson Tatum added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Six Celtics players scored in double figures, showcasing their depth as they prepare to host Game 2 on Sunday.
“Getting back to this point and being here is really a big deal,” Tatum said. “But two years ago, we won the first game and we know the outcome of that series. We still have a lot of work to do.”
The Mavericks cut the deficit to eight points in the third quarter, but Boston responded with a 14-0 run to pull away decisively. Luka Doncic led Dallas with 30 points, and P.J. Washington added 14 points and eight rebounds. However, Dallas struggled with offensive consistency, recording just nine assists on 35 field goals. The Mavericks failed to score 25 points in any quarter. Doncic expressed confidence despite the lopsided loss.
“Either you lose or you win,” Doncic said. “First to four, we’ve got to focus on the next game.”
The Celtics, in search of their first championship since 2008, showed little rust from their 10-day layoff after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. Porzingis closed the half with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, setting the tone for a promising Finals series.
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