Celtics Take 2-0 Lead in NBA Finals After Game 1 Win

Kristaps Porziņģis Shines in Return

Dominant Third Quarter Helps Celtics Pull Away

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals on Thursday night, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 in Game 1 at TD Garden. The Celtics were led by a huge performance from Kristaps Porziņģis, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury.

Porziņģis scored 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots in 36 minutes of action.

The Mavericks were led by Luka Dončić, who finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. However, Dončić was inefficient from the field, shooting just 9-of-25 (36%).

The Celtics pulled away from the Mavericks in the third quarter, thanks in large part to a dominant two-minute span in which they went on a 10-0 run.

The series now shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Tuesday night. The Celtics will be looking to take a 3-0 lead, while the Mavericks will be hoping to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole.