The Boston Celtics stole Game 1 of the NBA Finals from the Golden State Warriors Thursday night, winning by a final score of 120-108. After a predictable third quarter, in which the C’s found themselves down by 12, they went on to outscore Golden State 40-16 in the final period, showing an immeasurable level of resiliency.
Once the Warriors got up by 15, this contest felt like Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals all over again. They were in a comfortable position going into halftime but got blitzed in the third quarter, never managing to climb back into the contest.
However, this one was different.
This Boston Celtics team has been battle-tested throughout the regular season and the playoffs. They don’t back down from anyone no matter the score, and it showed in this highly competitive bout.
Prior to Game 1, the Warriors were undefeated on their home floor. Boston was 7-2 on the road. The Celtics trend holds, blowing out Golden State in a shocking victory.
Today, we present to you 3 reasons why the C’s were able to pull away on opening night of the 2022 NBA Finals:
Boston Celtics reason No. 1) The fourth-quarter offensive process
The Boston Celtics came into the final period down 12, giving up open looks both at the rim and out on the perimeter. They looked all out of sorts, a step slow on almost every action Golden State was running.
Suddenly, the switch flipped, and Boston realized they could come back. They had been in this situation before in Game 4 against Milwaukee, and went on to win that contest as well as the series.
On Thursday, the C’s made their first seven attempts from beyond the arc, with Derrick White and Al Horford leading the charge. While they both got their share of open looks, the Warriors were allowing the duo to shoot, as they are perceived as two of the worst shooters on Boston’s roster.
They made Golden State pay, combining to go 11-of-16 from deep on the night and notched a collective 47 points. Every time the Warriors manufactured a bucket on the other end, Boston answered with an open trey off of a productive offensive possession.
The Celtics always made the right pass, with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum driving and kicking to the open shooter.
The successful fourth-quarter lineup even included Payton Pritchard over Marcus Smart, with coach Ime Udoka allowing the run to continue with the players that started it. He hit a crucial corner 3-pointer of his own, as Boston stood up to the almighty Warriors, and simply outshot them.
On the night, the C’s converted on a whopping 51.2 percent of their shots from distance, sinking 21 of their 41 attempts. A truly jaw-dropping performance by a special, special team.