NBA Finals: Celtics' 4th-quarter barrage stuns Warriors to steal Game 1
SAN FRANCISCO — The Boston Celtics beat the Golden State Warriors at their own game.
Boston hit its first seven 3-pointers of the fourth quarter to turn a 12-point deficit heading into the final period into a 120-108 win in Game 1, stealing an NBA Finals game at Chase Center on Thursday.
The Celtics went 9 for 12 from long distance in the fourth quarter as part of a 17-0 run in nearly five minutes of game time.
Jaylen Brown keyed the late run, scoring 24 points with seven rebounds and five assists for the Celtics. Derrick White had another good performance off the bench, scoring 21 points with five 3-pointers.
Al Horford, playing in his first Finals game after 141 playoff games without making it to the last series, led the way for the Celtics with 26 points, including six 3-pointers. The teams combined for a Finals-record 40 3-pointers, smashing the previous record of 35 set by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Warriors in 2017.
Boston’s Jayson Tatum struggled, going just 3 of 17 for 12 points with 13 assists.
Stephen Curry started the 3-point barrage in the first quarter, but the Warriors weren’t able to support his classic performance.
Curry scored 21 points in the first quarter, the most he has ever scored in a single quarter in Finals history, and made 6 of 8 3-pointers, a Finals record for made triples in one quarter. Curry, of course, also held the previous record of five 3-pointers in a Finals quarter (along with Ray Allen and Kenny Smith).
Curry finished with a game-high 34 points. Andrew Wiggins added 20 points for the Warriors.
Klay Thompson moved into second place on the all-time playoff 3-pointers list, passing LeBron James. Curry is first on that list. Thompson had 15 points and three 3-pointers Thursday.
Warriors forwards Otto Porter Jr. (foot soreness) and Andre Iguodala (neck) played after missing time in the previous rounds. Iguodala became the first non-Lakers or Celtics player to play in seven Finals series.
Gary Payton II (broken elbow) was cleared before the game, but did not play.
The loss was the Warriors’ first at home this postseason (9-1).
NBA Finals schedule
Game 1: Celtics 120, Warriors 108 (Celtics lead 1-0)
Game 2: Celtics at Warriors, Sunday, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 3: Warriors at Celtics, Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4: Warriors at Celtics, Friday, June 10, 9 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: Celtics at Warriors, Monday, June 13, 9 p.m. ET (ABC)*
Game 6: Warriors at Celtics, Thursday, June 16, 9 p.m. ET (ABC)*
Game 7: Celtics at Warriors, Sunday, June 19, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)*
* — if necessary
