Highlights
- Jayson Tatum reflects on past defeat to the Warriors, savors his second finals appearance as Boston seeks redemption.
- Boston dominated Game 1, despite Tatum being outshined by Brown and Porzingis.
- Porzingis and Hauser set the tone with big threes, and Celtics fans were ecstatic.
Parents often tell their children at a young age to never take a special moment for granted. Jayson Tatum experienced this feeling when he played in his first NBA Finals two seasons ago. However, his first finals resulted in defeat to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors. Fast-forwarding two seasons later, the Boston Celtics are back in the finals and ready to reach the top of the NBA once again.
After Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks last night, Tatum described his feelings about playing in his second championship series at just 26 years of age.
“To be honest, I was nervous… anxious like a little kid. It’s surreal being in the finals, and when you’re young in your career, you think you’re always going to go back… Last year was a wake-up call.”
Boston fell short in Game 7 against the Miami Heat last season in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics lost the first three games and put up a fight to tie the series at three wins apiece, but they fell short of becoming the first team in NBA history to complete a 3-0 series comeback.
Tatum’s Teammates Come Through
Boston dominated Game 1 in convincing fashion
Tatum and his squad wasted no time this season, winning Game 1 comfortably, 107-89. Even though he shot 6-16 from the field for 16 points, Tatum’s teammates picked him up. Jaylen Brown stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, three steals, and three blocks to lead his squad. Kristaps Porziņģis returned to action for the first time since the Celtics’ opening playoff series and immediately had a huge impact. He delivered 20 points (8-13 FG), three blocks, and took advantage of mismatches throughout the contest. Tatum knows how important Porziņģis is to achieving the Celtics’ ultimate goal.
“We’re a good team when guys are down, but we’re really, really special when we have everybody.” – Jayson Tatum
It is important to keep a close eye on the three-point battle when watching the Celtics. The Mavericks struggled from beyond the arc in Game 1, but Boston thrived.
|
Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Game 1 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Category |
Celtics |
Mavericks |
|
3PT |
16-42 |
7-27 |
|
3PT% |
38.1 |
25.9 |
The Celtics outscored Dallas 48-21 from downtown. If the Mavericks are to have a chance in this series, they need to take and make more triples.
Inside the final 1:30 of the first frame, Porziņģis and Sam Hauser knocked down two contested threes to set the tone for the rest of the contest. Porziņģis’ launched his 30-foot triple in transition after blocking Kyrie Irving’s jumper, and Hauser swished home a corner three with Josh Green right in his face to send Celtics fans into a frenzy.
Boston is off to a convincing start to raise the franchise’s 18th championship banner inside the TD Garden.
Kristaps Porziņģis Says His ‘Adrenaline Was Pumping’ During Stellar Game 1 Return
Celtics fans were happy to see Kristaps Porzingis return to the floor for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.