Game 1 of the NBA Finals: Celtics Dominate Mavericks

BOSTON – The Dallas Mavericks struggled in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, falling to the Boston Celtics 107-89 on Thursday night at TD Garden. Former Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis helped the Celtics establish a commanding 29-point lead in the second quarter, leading to a comfortable victory in the best-of-seven series opener.

Key Highlights:

• Boston's Hot Start: The Celtics made seven three-pointers in the first quarter and limited the Mavs to just nine assists for the entire game.
• Massive Run: A game-changing 44-14 run by Boston, spanning the first and second quarters, built a 58-29 lead with 4:09 left before halftime following a three-pointer by Jayson Tatum.

Coach Jason Kidd's Comments:
"Give the Celtics credit. They did a great job defending, making it tough on us. We had some good looks that didn’t go down. We’ve got to move the ball. The ball just stuck too much, and we’ll be better in Game 2."

Second-Half Effort:

• Third Quarter Push: The Mavericks improved in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 72-64 after a three-pointer by Luka Dončić at the 4:27 mark.
• Celtics Respond: Following a traveling call on Dereck Lively II, the Celtics went on a 14-2 run to end the third quarter, extending their lead to 86-66 after consecutive three-pointers from Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Jaylen Brown.

Next Steps:
Game 2 will take place on Sunday at 7 p.m. at TD Garden before the series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday and Game 4 on June 14.

Coach Kidd added, "I think this is the best team in the NBA and they are good for a reason. They play their style of basketball at a high rate. Nerves or not being in this situation, we can’t use that as an excuse. It’s just basketball, and we’ve got to be better at the game of basketball on Sunday."