Jaylen Brown shined as the Boston Celtics delivered an impressive performance to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in the first game of the NBA Finals. The 27-year-old led the scoring with 22 points, supported by five of his teammates who also scored in double figures. The Celtics, who are pursuing their 18th championship title, showcased their defensive prowess as they built a commanding 29-point lead in the first half at the TD Garden in Massachusetts.
Despite Mavericks’ star Luka Doncic putting up 30 points and 10 rebounds to try and narrow the gap to eight points in the third quarter, the Celtics were able to pull away in the fourth quarter. Brown praised his team’s response to the Mavericks’ comeback attempt, highlighting their composure and ability to execute offensively to extend their lead.
Kristaps Porzingis made a return from injury for the Celtics, scoring 20 points in the game, including 11 from rebounds. Porzingis, facing his former team, made a significant contribution to his side’s victory on his comeback game. Although the Mavericks will take encouragement from their strong performance in the third quarter, they know they need to replicate that level of play consistently to challenge the Celtics.
The Celtics will host game two of the best-of-seven series on Sunday, looking to capitalize on their game one victory. With the opportunity to surpass the Los Angeles Lakers in total NBA Championship titles, the Celtics understand the importance of maintaining their momentum in the series. The historical trend of teams winning game one going on to win the NBA Finals 70% of the time serves as motivation for the Celtics as they aim to continue their strong start in the series.