On a winning night for the Boston Celtics, basketball’s towering sensation Kristaps Porzingis demonstrated his tenacity more than ever before. After taking an unexpected pause due to a calf injury, no one knew quite what to expect from the 7-foot star as he launched into NBA Finals, but his powerful comeback astounded everyone.
With 20 points to his name and a show of conviction on the bench, Porzingis joined Jaylen Brown, who scored 22 points, in ensuring a blazing victory for the Celtics. The team overpowered the Dallas Mavericks, sealing the first game with a 107-89 triumph.
Adding to Boston’s command over the game, Derrick White pitched in 15 points and the Celtics, off to a firm start in securing their 18th NBA title, amassed a staggering lead of 29 points in the opening half. More impressively, they broke chains with 16 3-pointers. For Porzingis, who had been on the sidelines since April 29, relishing every moment, was equally significant. He wowed the audience with six rebounds and three blocks in less than half an hour.
As he emerged from the tunnel as the last player to step on to the court for the pregame warmups, he was greeted with an ecstatic cheer from the home crowd that laid the groundwork for his superior performance. In Porzingis’s own words, he could feel the adrenaline surge from the crowd’s spirited cheer, pushing him towards what was a roaring night of victory for the Celtics.
Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics coach, showed not an ounce of concern about the layoff affecting Porzingis’s playing style. He expressed his confidence in the player who has been instrumental in bringing the team to where they are today.
Jayson Tatum, the team’s All-Star, contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds to the score, while six players claimed double figures to their names. Still, the Celtics understood not to rest on their laurels, with Tatum mindful of the fact that the first victory is never a guarantee of an ultimate win.
Making their mark, Boston took the Mavericks head-on after a shaky start to the third quarter. As Dallas picked up to an eight-point deficit, Boston responded overwhelmingly with a 14-0 run to rule out any chance of their rivals making a comeback.
Dallas did have one saving grace – Luka Doncic, who scored 30 points, followed by P.J. Washington, who added an impressive 14 points and eight rebounds. But the lack of consistent offense and just nine assists regarding the 35 field goals of the game led to their downfall. Never scoring 25 points in any quarter did not speak well for their case either. Regardless, Doncic didn’t let this loss dampen his spirits as he prepared for the next challenge.
Former Celtic and now a Maverick, Kyrie Irving had a shaky night with a mere 12 points. Interestingly, he had a fierce welcome from the crowd – a ceaseless wave of boos throughout the game. This acerbic reaction was most likely a repercussion of Irving’s previous encounters with Boston fans.
Keeping up the momentum, the Celtics maintained seamless control over the game with minimal signs of any rust from their 10-day layoff after their successful sweep over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. On the other hand, barring Doncic’s effort, Dallas seemed at a loss throughout the game, struggling with their offensive sets.
It was a commanding performance from Porzingis, who was not only an essential part of a 17-5 surge by Boston in the last quarter but also finished the half with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. This instrumental performance from the Latvian big man showed that coming off an injury did not affect his game, and made a significant contribution to Boston’s lead in the first game of the NBA Finals.
