Boston Celtics vs. Golden State Warriors: Takeaways from Game 1 of the NBA Finals
By Alex Mcewen
The Boston Celtics stayed steady in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, taking a 1-0 lead over the Golden State Warriors.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, a game where Jayson Tatum went 3-17 from the floor, the benches were virtually equal — 32 points from the Boston Celtics bench and 31 points from the Golden State Warriors bench — and each team’s biggest lead was 15 points.
The main takeaway from this Game 1 contest was just how evenly matched these two ball clubs truly are.
With that said, when it mattered most, Boston remained steady after the Warriors built a 92-80 lead heading into the fourth and final quarter, and the Celtics went off. In the final frame, the C’s outscored the dubs by 40-16, propelling Boston to the 120-108 victory and the 1-0 series lead in the NBA Finals.
Let it fly from deep
Game 1 featured a combined 40 made 3-pointers between the C’s and Dubs, it was the first time in NBA history that 40 or more 3’s have been made in an NBA Finals game. It goes without saying, this game set the record for the most treys made in a Finals contest.
The Celtics went 21-41 from distance, the shooting display from the Celtics has only been seen in The Finals twice before last night. The Celtics were the first team to shoot at least 50 percent from free with 20 or more makes on the road.
More from the others
The Poole party was closed in Game 1, it was clear the Warriors need more from Jordan Poole and Draymond Green, the duo combined to shoot 4-19 from the floor. This is The NBA Finals, and that level of production is not good enough. They need to step on in Game 2.
White Hot
As much as Jaylen Brown and Al Horford should be celebrated and praised for their Game 1 performances, the unsung hero for Boston was former San Antonio Spurs guard Derrick White. White’s production should not come as a shock because he signed a four-year, $70 million contract in December 2020. Last night, on the biggest stage White showed why he earned the contract.
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His shooting was efficient, his defense was on point, and he hit some timely buckets for the Celtics. In Game 1, he gave Boston 21 points. If he can give similar production going forward it will be a series changer for the Celtics.