The Boston Celtics made a strong statement at the start of the NBA Finals with a decisive 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, taking the first step toward a record-breaking championship.
Boston took control early, finishing the first quarter with a commanding 37-20 lead after a 23-5 run. The Mavericks avoided a total disaster thanks to Luka Doncic, who cut the deficit from -29 to -8 (72-64) with a remarkable performance, but it wasn’t enough.
Doncic ended the game with 30 points (12 of 26 from the field) and ten rebounds. However, the Celtics effectively limited his ability to involve his teammates, as evidenced by Doncic’s single assist—a postseason low for him.
“Someone like him will score—our job is to limit the other guys as much as we can,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum told ABC, emphasizing that the job is not done yet as the Mavericks “won’t just give up” in the best-of-seven series.
Porzingis Shines in the Spotlight
Tatum had a mixed performance with 16 points (6 of 16 from the field), eleven rebounds, and six turnovers. In contrast, Kristaps Porzingis stepped up for the Celtics. The often-injured Latvian center returned strongly from a calf injury, scoring 20 points and making three blocks. This was impressive considering he hadn’t played since April 28 and was making his NBA Finals debut.
“It doesn’t matter how long he’s been out; he’ll make his plays,” praised coach Joe Mazzulla about the 7’3″ Porzingis, who was satisfied with his contribution: “I can help the team.” However, Jaylen Brown was the top scorer for the Celtics with 22 points.
Mavs’ Role Players Neutralized
The key to Boston’s success was their ability to neutralize Dallas’ role players like P.J. Washington (14 points) and Derrick Jones Jr. (5 points).
Kyrie Irving’s poor performance also hurt the Mavericks; he scored just 12 points (6 of 19 from the field), a disappointing output for a player of his caliber. German player Maxi Kleber, in his first Finals game, logged 19 minutes, two points, one assist, and one block.
Coach Jason Kidd criticized the team’s lack of ball movement and their struggles under the basket against Porzingis and Al Horford. Doncic, however, was quick to move on from the loss. “You win or you lose,” he said, already looking ahead to Game 2, which will also be in Boston on Monday night.
Dallas aims to win their second Larry O’Brien Trophy, their first since 2011, while Boston seeks their 18th title, which would make them the sole record-holders, currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers.
