Boston — On Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Kristaps Porzingis made his 10-game comeback, scoring 20 points off the bench as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-89, putting an end to a second-half comeback.
Due to a right calf strain, Porzingis had not appeared on the court since Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat. Despite the extended absence, he appeared unaffected, as evidenced by his 8-for-13 shooting, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Luka Doncic’s big third-quarter scoring run helped Dallas tie the game after the team had fallen behind by as much as 29 points late in the first half.
With 4:28 remaining, the star guard’s 3-pointer trimmed Dallas’ deficit to 72-64. The guard scored 10 points during the Mavericks’ 22-9 run to start the game.
With a decisive response, the Celtics scored the next 14 points to grab a commanding 22-point lead.
Dallas got within twenty points with two free throws from Daniel Gafford to end the third quarter, but the Mavericks were behind by at least seventeen points the whole fourth.
Game 2 will take place in Boston on Sunday.
With 22 points, six rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics. Derrick White scored fifteen points, and Jayson Tatum contributed sixteen points and eleven rebounds.
Doncic led Dallas, which was outshot 47.6 percent to 41.7 percent overall, with 30 points and 10 rebounds. Jaden Hardy scored 13, P.J. Washington scored 14, and Kyrie Irving, who was heckled the whole game, finished with 12.
With 7:17 remaining in the first quarter, Porzingis checked in and quickly established the tone despite not drawing the opening kick.
After 12 minutes of play, the big man tormented his former side, scoring 11 points and blocking two attempts in the frame to give the Celtics a 37-20 lead. In the history of the Finals, no team has ever accumulated a bigger advantage in the first quarter of Game 1.
