NBA Finals 2024: Celtics Storm Out to Early Lead with Game 1 Win
Celtics Dominate Mavericks with Porziņģis' Impressive Return
The Boston Celtics have taken an early lead in the 2024 NBA Finals, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 118-100 in Game 1 on Tuesday night at the TD Garden. The Celtics were led by a strong performance from Kristaps Porziņģis, who scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his first game back from injury. Jayson Tatum added 26 points for Boston, while Jaylen Brown chipped in with 21 points.
Porziņģis Shines in Return for Celtics
Porziņģis, who had missed the past four games with a knee injury, made his presence felt immediately. He scored the Celtics' first basket of the game and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter. Porziņģis also played strong defense, blocking two shots and grabbing three steals.
"It felt great to be back out there," Porziņģis said. "I've been working hard to get back, and I'm just glad I could help the team get a win."
Celtics Take Early Lead
The Celtics took an early lead and never looked back. They led by 15 points at the end of the first quarter and extended their lead to 20 points by halftime. The Mavericks made a run in the third quarter, but the Celtics responded with a 10-0 run to put the game away.
"We played with great energy and intensity tonight," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "Kristaps was a big spark for us, and we got contributions from everyone on the team."
Mavs Struggled Offensively
The Mavericks struggled offensively throughout the game. They shot just 40% from the field and 28% from 3-point range. Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 20 points, but he was just 8-of-22 from the field.
"We didn't shoot the ball well tonight," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We need to find a way to get more consistent offensively if we want to win this series."
Game 2
Game 2 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday night at the TD Garden. The Mavericks will need to find a way to improve their offensive output if they want to tie the series.
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