In a commanding display at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics seized a 1-0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 on Thursday. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics’ charge with 22 points, while Kristaps Porzingis, returning from a calf injury that sidelined him since April 29, contributed 20 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Despite a stellar 30-point, 10-rebound performance by Luka Doncic in his NBA Finals debut, the Mavericks found themselves trailing for the majority of the game. Boston surged ahead with a 29-point lead in the first half, with Porzingis making a significant impact by scoring 18 points before halftime.
Although Dallas managed to trim the deficit to single digits at 72-64 in the third quarter, the Celtics swiftly responded with a decisive 14-0 run, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Struggling with their long-range shooting, the Mavericks made just seven 3-pointers throughout the game and were limited to nine assists as a team. Kyrie Irving faced difficulties in finding his rhythm, shooting 6 for 19 from the field and going 0 for 5 on 3-point attempts.
Doncic’s impressive performance marked him as the first player since Tim Duncan in 1999 to achieve at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut.
A balanced offensive effort saw six different Celtics players scoring in double figures, with Jayson Tatum contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds. The victory propelled the Celtics to a 16-7 record in franchise history in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks, accustomed to facing early deficits, now stand at a 2-6 record in Game 1s in Luka Doncic’s career. They had previously dropped series openers against both the Clippers and Thunder in the playoffs.
NBA Finals Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday night in Boston, where both teams will look to make crucial adjustments in pursuit of victory.
