Celtics Rout Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of NBA Finals

Brown Returns, Porzingis Struggles

Boston Celtics took control of the 2024 NBA Finals with a commanding 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1.

Jaylen Brown, returning from a hamstring injury, led the charge for the Celtics with 29 points, while Jayson Tatum added 21 points. The Mavericks were led by Luka Doncic's 24 points, but Kristaps Porzingis, who was making his first NBA Finals appearance, struggled to find his rhythm, scoring just 9 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

The Celtics jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points in the third quarter. The Mavericks made a brief run in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics held on for the comfortable victory.

The Celtics will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series when they host Game 2 on Sunday. The Mavericks will need to find a way to get Porzingis more involved if they want to avoid falling into a deeper hole.

Conclusion:

The Celtics' victory was a statement to the rest of the league. They are the defending champions for a reason, and they are not going to surrender their title without a fight. The Mavericks have their work cut out for them if they want to get back into this series.