The Boston Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors 120-108 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 points, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 34 points, but he was held to just 11 points in the second half.
The Celtics jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter, but the Warriors rallied to tie the game at 52 at halftime. The Celtics opened the third quarter with a 12-0 run to take control of the game, and they never looked back.
Tatum was dominant for the Celtics, scoring 21 points in the first half and 13 points in the third quarter. Brown also had a big game, scoring 15 points in the second half. The Celtics' bench also contributed, scoring 33 points, led by Marcus Smart's 11 points.
Curry was the only Warrior to score in double figures in the second half. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, but he was held to just 2-of-11 shooting from the field. Klay Thompson had a tough night, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-19 shooting.
The Celtics shot 50.6% from the field, including 40.9% from three-point range. The Warriors shot 43.7% from the field, including 24.2% from three-point range.
The Celtics will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series when they host Game 2 on Sunday night.
Here are some of the key takeaways from Game 1:
- The Celtics' defense was the difference in the game. They held the Warriors to 43.7% shooting from the field, including 24.2% from three-point range.
- Jayson Tatum was dominant for the Celtics. He scored 34 points and had 10 rebounds.
- The Celtics' bench was a big factor in the win. They scored 33 points, led by Marcus Smart's 11 points.
- Stephen Curry had a tough night. He scored 34 points, but he was held to just 11 points in the second half.
The Celtics are now one win away from their first NBA championship since 1986. They will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series when they host Game 2 on Sunday night.