Celtics Take Game 1 in Dallas
Boston's Depth, Defense Stifle Mavericks
Five takeaways from the Celtics' 107-89 victory
The Boston Celtics cruised to a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals matchup on Wednesday night. The Celtics' depth and defense proved too much for the Mavericks, who were led by Kristaps Porzingis' 20 points.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
- Boston's depth was on full display. The Celtics had eight players score in double figures, led by Jayson Tatum's 29 points. The Mavericks, on the other hand, had only four players score in double figures.
- The Celtics' defense was stifling. The Celtics held the Mavericks to just 38.6% shooting from the field and 25.0% shooting from three-point range. The Mavericks also committed 17 turnovers.
- The Luka-Kyrie duo struggled. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks' two All-Stars, combined for just 30 points on 11-of-31 shooting. Doncic also had seven turnovers.
- Kristaps Porzingis was a bright spot for the Mavericks. Porzingis, who was playing in his first game since Game 2 of the second round due to a calf injury, scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting. He also grabbed 12 rebounds.
- The Celtics are now in control of the series. The Celtics have a 1-0 lead in the series and will host Game 2 on Friday night. The Mavericks will need to find a way to generate more offense and slow down the Celtics' attack if they want to even the series.
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