The Celtics looked like the Warriors
Displaying the attributes that characterized them throughout the season, the Celtics appealed to their defense, but also had a Warriors-like run, 17-0 with five three-pointers, in the last quarter of the game to take the definitive lead.
With 40 points to the home team’s 16 in the final quarter, coach Ime Udoka and his boys proved that there is defense for the basketball ‘evolution’ that started with Stephen Curry’s three-point shooting.
Down 92-80 at the start of the final quarter, Boston was adjusting to give a blow on the table and make Steve Kerr’s staff think that things will not be easy in the search for their seventh championship.
The keys to Game 1
1.- A complete roster. The return of Gary Payton, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala gave the home team more depth.
Before the game, Draymond Green referred to Payton as a tough defender, while Stephen Curry said Iguodala had the ability to help the team both on and off the court; however, in the end Payton was not cleared by coach Kerr.
2.- Curry unstoppable, his transition and screens so he had the comfort of shooting threes.
The Warriors star finished the first quarter with 21 points and 6 three-pointers to match Kyrie Irving’s record, according to ESPN Stats & Info research. His point total in the segment was the highest total by a player in a Finals quarter since Michael Jordan in 1993.
Curry had a game-high 34 points, but went 5-16 from the field (1-6 from three-point range) after his first-quarter explosion.
Klay Thompson’s return to the Finals following the torn left knee ligament he suffered on June 13, 2019 during Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors.
Thompson looked like he would be of great contribution for Curry, but his accomplice went ‘off’ and closed the night with only 15 points (3-7 from the arc).
Physical play in the paint. Playing center, Daniel Theis was not tough enough to contain Draymond Green or Porter Jr. while Al Horford was on the bench.
However, when the Dominican returned, the Celtics cut a 10-point deficit and evened the score at 49 with just over two minutes left in the first half to finish ahead 56-54.
Horford’s contribution. The Dominican center and his permanence on the court (33 minutes) were key, finishing with 26 points, the highest number of all the ‘greens’, with 6 boards.
Horford’s Finals debut was historic, as he had the second highest number of points by a Celtics player in his first Finals game, only 10 points behind Bill Sharman, who had 36 in the 1957 Finals.
In addition, his six three-pointers were not only a personal best, but the most ever by a player in his Finals debut.
Efficiency from ‘Saturn’. The Warriors’ main weapon, the three-point shooting, was stunted by their opponent to beat them in San Francisco.
Golden State went 19-45 (42.2%) overall on three-pointers, with Curry being the most accurate with seven, while Boston went 21-41 for a much better 51.2%. Horford hit six of eight and coming off the bench Derrick White hit five of eight.
