The Celtics Take Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Boston's depth proves too much for Dallas; the Luka-Kyrie duo struggles
Though things got close for a brief moment in the second half, the Celtics have taken a 1-0 series lead over the Mavericks. Boston's depth proved to be too much for Dallas, as the Celtics had seven players score in double figures. Jayson Tatum led the way with 29 points, followed by Jaylen Brown with 24 points and Marcus Smart with 21 points.
The Mavericks were led by Luka Doncic, who had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. However, Doncic was not able to get much help from his teammates, as Kyrie Irving was held to just 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
The Celtics took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 32-18. Boston's defense was able to slow down Doncic and Irving, and the Celtics were able to get easy baskets in transition.
The Mavericks will need to make some adjustments if they want to tie the series in Game 2. They will need to find a way to get more production from their role players, and they will need to do a better job of defending the Celtics' pick-and-roll.
However, even with a home win on Friday, it's hard to envision the Mavericks overcoming a Boston team that is healthy and playing with confidence.
How to watch the NBA Finals
The next game of the NBA Finals will be on Sunday, June 9th at 8 pm. The game will be televised on ABC.
Box score
Box score for the Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks NBA game from June 6, 2024 on ESPN
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