Boston Celtics 120 vs 108 Golden State Warriors summary: stats and highlights | NBA Finals
It wasn't too long ago that Jaylen Brown was at Oracle Arena watching the Warriors blaze their trail to one of their three titles in the last seven years.
The Boston Celtics went into San Francisco and took a win from the Golden State Warriors in the final 12 minutes of Game 1. Al Horford was the unlikely hero stepping up and scoring 26 points to lead the Celtics to the 120-108 win at the Chase Center.
Celtics strip Warriors of homecourt
Al Horford had waited fifteen years to make his first NBA Finals appearance and did not disappoint once he stepped into the spotlight. Horford has been an instrumental part of Boston’s playoff run, but on Thursday night he did something that no one expected him to do. He took the game over with his scoring, especially late on as the Celtics made their game winning run.
It was Golden State, and Steph Curry in particular, who started off hot out of the gate. Curry hit and NBA Finals record six three points in the first quarter and had 21 going into the second stanza. It was the most threes ever scored in any quarter of an NBA Finals game. Even with Curry and the rest of the Warriors shooting lights out the Celtics only trailed 32-28.
Jaylen Brown then stepped to the stage in the second quarter, once the Golden State shooting cooled down. Boston went on a 10-0 run to tie the game up at 57. They took the lead for the first time since it was 9-8 when Brown went to the free throw line to make it 51-49, and carried that lead into halftime.
Second half, a tale of two quarters
Steve Kerr’s side came out of the halftime break tenacious on the defensive end. Much of the talk coming into this series was about the Celtics top rated defense, but the Warriors had the second ranked defense this season and it showed in the third quarter.
Jayson Tatum was shut down by the Warriors defense all night long, and they zoned in on him coming out of the halftime break. Good defense led to easy offense for the Warriors and Curry who got back on the scoresheet after a scoreless second quarter. Curry and Andrew Wiggins not only took the lead from the Celtics, but would build as much as a 15 point lead.
With Tatum having an off night it was going to be up to Jaylen Brown and the supporting cast if the Celtics were going to have any chance of a comeback after entering the quarter down 12.
Four quarter comeback for the ages
A 7-0 run led by two Brown buckets and an alley oop assist to Robert Williams gave the Celtics that shot of life they needed. Derrick White and Al Horford took over from there hitting big shot after big shot to continue chipping away at the lead.
As each and every shot went down the Boston defense seemed to suffocated the Warriors one time flowing offense as the game wound down. Half way through the final quarter the 12 point lead had been 103-100 and the Celtics kicked it into overdrive from there. Golden State went on a five minute scoreless spell while the thirty-six year old Horford had 8 straight points in what would end up being a 17-0 run to put the game to rest for the Celtics.
Everyone who needed to step up on Tatum’s off night stepped up in Game 1. Tatum went just 3-17 from the field and scored just 12 points but did have 13 assists. Horford finished the night as the top performer, posting 26 points and hitting a career high six three pointers in his Finals debut. Derrick White had another spectacular night off the bench, going for 21 and hitting a couple of the biggest shots of the night. Brown finished with 24 points, 10 of those coming in the fourth quarter, and Smart had 18 with four three pointers.
Boston handed the Warriors their first loss at home in this postseason, all the while improving their road record to 8-2. They will put those records to the test again on Sunday in Game 2 from the Chase Center. Tip off from San Francisco is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
No cause for celebration just yet. Still a lot of work to be done for the Celtics.
Al Horford had a night he will remember for the rest of his life. Six threes, 26 points and a road win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
This Derrick White three started the 17-0 run that won Game 1 for the Celtics.
Brown had 10 of his 24 in the fianl quarter.
Brown had 5 quick points and then this alley to Williams to start the fourth on a 7-0 run.
Who says Marcus Smart is only about the defense? No one probably, and the last two games should have been enough to convice you if you were on the fence.
He may not have had a great shooting night, but Tatum did have 13 assists.
https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1532536550319267841?s=20&t=pPKgKwnVVSSaJlMQLiVR7Q
It was all the Celtics could do to keep up with Steph Curry's explosive 21 point first quarter. Before this jam, Brown had a nasty block on the other end.
IT'S ALL OVER!!! THE CELTICS TAKE GAME 1 IN SAN FRAN!!!!
Bjelica for three, that's not going to do it though.
Horford off the dish from Brown, gets the bucket and the foul! FT is good.
Thompson on the release finally breaks the run with the lay up. First bucket in the last five minutes for the Warriors.
Smart with the three ball and it's raning threes in San Fran! 17-0 run for the Celtics.
Under 2 minute to go in the fourth.
HOrford again!!! This time on the boards, he gets the offensive rebound and hit Smart who stuck the corner three! 14-0 run for the Cetlics.
Green misses two of two at the line. Painful misses from the three time champ. 3:23 to go in the fourth
Horford on the baseline and he's got 8 points in this 11-0 run.
Timeout Boston with possession, the lead and 3:47 to go.
Horford out of the timeout and he's got back-to-back three balls!
Horford with the three ball and the Celtics have erased a 12 point 4th quarter deficit!! They lead by three with 5:08 to go.
White with an IMPOSSIBLE three!!! We are all tied up.
Under six minutes to go in the quarter.
Curry going up and under the defense down low for the lay up.
White with the three ball! What a night he's having!
Curry with the biggest guy on the court guardigng him takes Williams off the dribble and hits the step back.
Pritchard in the corner for three!!
Brilliant passing on the inside and Iggy to Green downlow behind his back.
Brown right to the rack and he's taking over.
Thompson with the clock winding down and he drills th three ball.
Brown in the corner for three and he's red hot.
Iguodala on the slash to the rack and he slams it home.
Pritchard on the lay up off the assist from Brown.
Brown up top to R. Williams and the Celtics are on a 7-0 run to start the fourth! GS need a timeout with 9:35 to go in the final quarter.
Brown on the pull three, and he sinks it.
Brown on the step back form the elbow.
Horford and White are the top scorers for the Celtics after three quarters. That is not going to win them any games in the Finals. They need their stars. Tatym is 3-14 from the field tonight.
We are headed to the fourth quarter with the Warriors up 12 points with 12 minutes to go.
White to the line and he hits two of two.
Iguodala for three to stretch the lead to 14 at the end of the 3rd.
Williams with the tip slam. He's got 6 pts, 4 rebs and 4 blks on the night
Poole heads to the stripe, and hits two of two.
White to the line after the baseline drive, and he hits two of two.
Brown on the finish underneath after Tatum stripped Curry.
Wiggins at the line and he hits both.
Poole to the line and he hits both FTs.
Horford drops a three ball and the Celtics are trying to hang around, but they need a stop or six.
Porter Jr. with a three ball to punch back.
White with a neccesary three for Boston. And he continues to make big bucket after big bucket.
Poole drops the deep three ball from the top of the key!! The Warriors hot shooting is back after a slow second quarter.
Curry to the line and he hits two of two.
Tatum drives and gets the floater to go. He hadn't had a FG in 20 minutes.
Wiggins on the follow up and besides Curry he has been the Warriors best player. 7-0 run for GS.
Curry weaving behind the back around Brown and with a sky high finger roll to get to 28 on the night.
But then they leave Wiggins wide open for three on the other end and Wiggins punishes the Celtics defensive lapse. Timeout Boston with under 7 to go in the third.
Horford in the corner for three! Big bucket for Boston who was in need of a bucket.
Looney at the line and he hits two of two.
Horford to the line and he hits one of two.
Thompson from the baseline on the jumper and he's in double digits for the night.
Curry gets it going again from downtown! He's got 7 threes on the night.
Tatum to the line and he hits both.
Wiggins gets the mid range jumper to go. He's got a quick 5 in the third and 13 on the night.
Smart with a little bit of street ball goes around the world and gets the floater in the lane.
Curry back to scoring after going for no points in the second quarter.
We are back in play in the third quater from Chase Center, and Wiggins starts us off with a top of the key three.
How about the Defensive Player of the Year? He's got 10 at the half.
Tatum hasn't had the start to the Finals he had probably been dreaming of, but his teammates have stepped up tonight.
Brown with the slam. What you don't see, is he stuffed a lay up attempt on the other end just before this.
Boston's physicality was on display in the first half, and the most physical of them all, Robert Williams, gets the pay off on this play.
And another! This was the history making three. Steph breaks the record for most threes in a quarter of the Finals with six.
And another for Steph
Steph Curry got the Finals started with his first of 6 threes in the opening quarter.
Brown is the Celtics leading scorer with 12, while Smart has 10. Tatum has had a slow start to his night, he's got 8, but so do Horford and White.
Steph Curry exploded in the first half with 21 points shooting 6/6 from three point range, but then went scoreless in the second quarter. Porter Jr. has 9, and Thompson and Wiggns both have 8.
After that incredible shooting start for Curry and the Warriors, it's the Celtics who are leading at halftime! Exciting first half of play from Chase Center and we still have 24 minutes to decide a winner.
Tatum at the line and he hits two of two. He's got 8 on the night.
Wiggins with the spin and the floater through the paint.
Horford with a spot up three ball on the quick catch and release.
Porter Jr. with his third three of the game.
Brown to the line and he hits both FTs. They have the first lead since 9-8
Smart on the drive and he getst the tough scoop going form left to right across the paint to drop.
Back to back offensive boards and it's Looney with the put back.
Brown off the dribble this time and the Celtics are on a 10-0 run! Steve Kerr has seen enough. He wants a timeout.
Brown with the mismatch on Curry and the lob from Smart made it an easy bucket.
Smart got clobbered on the long two and drilled it anyway! No whistle came for Smart.
Tatum hits R. Williams off the screen and roll for the easy deuce down low. GS wants a timeout with under 7 to go in the half.
Brown hits the mid range jumper and it looks like he's going to be the one to carry in the Celtics in the first half. Tatum has been quiet since the opening three of the game.
Thompson drains the three ball and the lead is the biggest it's been all night after an 8-0 run
Porter Jr. drills the three ball!! He's got two on the night and GS already have 9 threes in a quarter and some change.
Poole on the floater. It's just not fair for the Celtics. How can you expect to guard Steph and Klay and then have another emerging scoring star like Poole all on the same play?
Theis drills a three ball off the bench, and the Celtics are getting some great contribution from the guys down their bench.
Iguodala from the elbow and the experienced vet will provide some big minutes for this already experienced team.
White for three and he is quickly becoming one of Boston's most important players on the offensive end.
Draymond showing some strength! He goes to the rack, gets the bucket and gets hacked. FT is no good.
Pritchard off the bench and he sinks a three to cut the lead back to 4.
Porter Jr. in the corner for three
Curry missed! Well, let me clarify, the first quarter was running out and he launched a half court prayer that was just off. Curry went 7/9 from the field with six three pointer in that first quarter. He's got 21 after 12 minutes.
Wiggins has 6 and Thompson has 5.
Curry can't be stopped!!! He's SIX OF SIX from downtown and he's got 21. Are we witnessing history being made before our very eyes tonight? This could be an all time Finals performance.
Tatum going strong to the basket in transition gets the foul and 1! Foul was on Iguodala who hasn't played since the first round series against Denver because of injury.
White with a three ball after a great series of passes around the perimeter.
Curry left wide open and he drills his FIFTH THREE OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!
Timeout from the Chase Center with the Celtics taking the early blows but staying with the Warriors. 2:35 left in the first quarter.
Steph at the line and he misses one! For as hot as he has been will that cool him down?
Pick and pop for Horford from the FT line and he's got a couple early FGs
Another offensive rebound leads to a Thompson jumper.
White off the bench and on to the scoreboard. He needs to have another series like the one he had against the Heat.
Brown gets a big block and then finishes the play on the other end with a big slam. They are playing some ball tonight at Chase Center.
Curry again!! He's unstoppable!! 14 points already for Curry
Brown with the spin and the fade out of the timeout.
Timeout Celtics with 5:55
CURRY FROM DOWNTOWN!!! He's got 11 in just six minutes!! Think he's happy to be back in the Finals?
Williams down low for the Celtics with the easy bucket.
STEPH AGAIN FROM LONG RANGE!! He's got 7 already.
Horford answers back with three ball in his first finals.
Wiggins taking it strong to the basket again going into the body of Horford and finishing.
Wiggins off the inbound gets the floater in the paint to go. He's got an early four.
Steph this time going stright to the rack and he's got a quick 5.
Smart with another three ball! The best defender in the league already has six points tonight.
Thompson in the corner for three! He is coming off a 32 point performance in the Game 5 close out game against the Mavs. Curry who had the assist by the way, just turned his head seconds early knowing the shot was going in.
Smart drills a three ball! He had 24 in the Game 7 win over the Heat
Wiggins driving and scoring. He has turned it on in this post season.
Tatum puts Boston on the Board with a three ball. Both teams' best scoreres getting the scoring started early.
Curry missed his first three of the night, but the Warriors get the offensive rebound and get it back to their sharp shooter, and he doesn't make the same mistake twice.
Here we go!! Game 1 of the NBA Finals is underway from the Chase Center.
Warriors title history
The Warriors have won the title on six different occasions. Three times before the trio for Steph, Klay and Dray, and three times since the trio joined Golden State. They last title came in 2018 against the Cavaliers.
Defense wins championships
While the high powered offensive juggernaut of the Warriors is the most pronounced part of this team, they had the second rated defense in the regular season. The only team that topped them was the Boston Celtics. Each one of Boston’s starting five got votes for the Defensive Player of the Year. In the end it was Marcus Smart who took the honors and became the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton.
GS the more rested team
How much will rest come into play tonight and through out the series. The Celtics closed out the Heat on Sunday night, while the Warriors ousted the the Grizzlies a week ago tonight. A team with that much time off leave themselves prone to a slow start, which is a very good possibility against a great defense like Boston’s. You also have to take into account the Warriors have played two fewer games than the Celtics.
The Warriors invincible trio
Since they became a trio, Steph, Klay and Draymond have yet to lose a series they have started and finished healthy and available. When the trio was broken up over the last two seasons, they visibly struggled. Without the missing splash brother the Warriors didn’t struggle in the playoffs because they didn’t make the playoffs.
Sixth in eight years
The Warriors returning to the Finals puts them in rare air with basketball royalty. There are only three other franchises that have reached the Finals six time in an eight year span. The Lakers, Celtics and Bulls have all achieved this feat, and if the Warriors can win it all this season, they would make it titles in half of those Finals appearances.
It wasn't too long ago that Jaylen Brown was at Oracle Arena watching the Warriors blaze their trail to one of their three titles in the last seven years.
One of the most entertaining parts of any Warriors game is the pregame warm ups. Steph Curry puts on a specatacle.
Klay getting back to this best
Klay Thompson missed over two seasons with two devastating injuries. He first tore the sixth and final game of the 2019 NBA Finals. After months of rehabilitation he tore his achilles just as he was nearing a comeback.The set back pushed his return day to early January of this year. While Klay hasn’t reached the outstanding level he was playing at before his injuries, he averaged 20 points and 3 assists in the regular season, and has had some big postseason performances, especially in close out games. He had 30 in Game 6 against the Grizzlies and 32 in Game 5 against the Mavs.
GS part owner from Boston
Joe Lacob, part owner of the Warriors, is from Massachusetts and was a former part owner of the Celtics. He had some very strong words for his about his former franchise and former partners. "Boston was very important and those guys were very helpful. They're friends to this day," he said of his former partners. "Not too close friends, though.
"I want to kill them right now, I'm going to be honest. I'm very competitive about this, and I'm sure they are, too. It's going to be a battle on the court and a little bit of a battle on the ownership level, too. We want to kill each other."
How they got here Celtics
Boston came into the season with a new coach, and not many expectations. They looked like they were destined to be fighting to get in the playoffs in late December, but they had the turnaround of all turnarounds after the New Year. They made a charge up the Eastern Conference and finished the season as the hottest team in the league in that span and sat second in the East heading into the playoffs.
How they got here: Warriors
The Warriors came into the season having missed the last two NBA Playoffs. Take what you want from that, the fact that Klay Thompson missed both of those seasons with devastating injuries. This year, they got a healthy Steph Curry and Draymond Green for most of the year, and new that Thompson’s return was getting closer. The Warriors were battling for the top spot in the west when Klay came back after the New Year and had a great shot to win the West until Curry twisted his ankle and the Warriors dropped down the standings. They finished the regular season third in the conference and drew the Denver Nuggets in the first round, then the Memphis Grizzlies in the second, and the Mavs in the in the Confernece Finals.
Boston may be on the road, but the drip follows them. They would be looking a lot better with later on tonight with a win under the belt.
You got to dress for the occassion. Dray and Klay coming into the Chase Center rocking the championship drip.
Last Game: Warriors
The Warriors have had a relatively breezy post season, and the Western Conference Finals were no different. Steph and the Warriors went up 3-0 on the Dallas Mavericks, but needed a fifth game to finish off the series. Klay Thompson led Golden State with 32 points in the 120-110 win in Game 5.
We are live from San Fran
Hello everyone and welcome to the Chase Center for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. I’m Dane Arlauckas, thanks so much for joining us for the opening game of this first to four series for all the marbles. The Golden State breezed through the West to get to their sixth Finals in eight years while the Boston Celtics were taken the distance in the Eastern Conference Semis and Finals. It’s one of the winningest franchises in the league taking on the new powerhouse on the block.
Celtics vs Warriors Game 1
Nearly two months of playoff basketball has taken us to this point. It’s finally Finals time!!! Golden State returns to the NBA Finals for the first time in two years, while Boston is playing in the championship series for the first time in over a decade. AS English will have you covered with live coverages, stats, scores highlights and analysis for every second of each and every one of the games between the Celtics and the Warriors.