SOURCE SPORTS: Porzingis and Brown Lead Celtics to Dominant Game 1 NBA Finals Win

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Porzingis and Brown Lead Celtics to Dominant Game 1 NBA Finals Win

TD Garden erupted in cheers as Kristaps Porzingis took the floor for pregame warmups, marking his return after a 38-day hiatus due to a calf strain. The excitement intensified when he checked into the game. Porzingis rewarded the fans with a stellar first-half performance, propelling the Boston Celtics to a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“Hearing the fans go nuts when I came out the tunnel gave me goosebumps,” Porzingis said.

Porzingis, entering the game with the Celtics holding a narrow 12-11 lead, quickly made his presence felt. By the end of the first quarter, Boston had surged to a 37-20 lead, the largest first-quarter advantage in Game 1 of the Finals since the play-by-play era began in 1997-98. Porzingis contributed 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including a three-pointer, three rebounds and two blocks in that stretch. He finished the night with 20 points, six boards, and three blocks, posting a game-high defensive rating of 85.0 to help Boston secure a 1-0 series lead.

“His energy was unbelievable … on offense, on defense, [the] chasedown block in transition … his energy just got us going and took us to another level,” said Celtics forward Al Horford.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla added, “It doesn’t matter how long he takes off, the guy is going to make plays because of how talented he is and the work he puts in. What he did for us tonight was big.”

Motivated by the Celtics’ 2022 Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, Jaylen Brown delivered a standout two-way performance in Game 1. Brown tallied 22 points, six rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, joining Tim Duncan and Scottie Pippen as the only players since 1973-74 to record such stats in a Finals Game 1. His relentless drives, timely three-pointers, and a game-high 11 free throw attempts kept the Dallas defense under constant pressure.

Despite the Mavericks’ loss, Luka Doncic made an impressive Finals debut, scoring a game-high 30 points and grabbing ten rebounds, becoming the first player to post a 30-point double-double in their Finals debut since Tim Duncan in 1999.

Game 2 is set for Sunday, with the Celtics looking to extend their series lead.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Porzingis and Brown Lead Celtics to Dominant Game 1 NBA Finals Win first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Porzingis and Brown Lead Celtics to Dominant Game 1 NBA Finals Win appeared first on The Source.