The first game of this NBA Finals series was a demolition job. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's Dallas Mavericks may have had their own runs but the ones that the Boston Celtics produced were insurmountable. Coach Joe Mazzulla knew exactly who to use in his personnel whether it be Jaylen Brown for drives, Jayson Tatum for passes, Jrue Holiday for easy dunker spot follow-ups, or Kristaps Porzingis on the perimeters and elbows. The latter was the most effective as it led to an insane first-quarter outburst.
A different expectation from Joe Mazzulla
But, many were expecting a different game plan from Joe Mazzulla. He started Al Horford instead of Kristaps Porzingis which made some people scratch their heads. Aside from the obvious fact that the seven-footer had just come off an injury, there was another reason why the Mavericks saw their former player come off the bench.
Apparently, Joe Mazzulla posits that the best way for the Celtics to win was for Kristaps Porzingis to come off the bench, per Daniel Donabedian of ClutchPoints. The Celtic's head honcho would be proven correct. In just 21 minutes of action, the unicorn was able to knock down eight out of his 13 shots while shooting his three-pointers at a 50% clip. All of which added up to 20 points to help the Celtics win with a 107 to 89 scoreline.
It was not just in offense where the unicorn thrived. He was also preventing the Luka Doncic-led squad from getting to the rim by either meeting them at the apex of their shot or playing impressive drop coverage. This led him to record three blocks. His positioning below the rim also got him an easy six rebounds to end the night.
Understandably, Celtics fans wanted more of Porzingis. While Coach Mazzulla has stated that he has no minute restriction, they are still trying to err on the side of caution. There is no use for overplaying someone who is prone to injuries in a game that was already won. Moreover, the NBA Finals is a seven-game series and they need his production along with the presence he brings to win the Celtics' 18th banner.
Other Celtics step up
It was not just Porzingis who lit it up in the three levels of scoring in this NBA Finals matchup. Six total Celtics notched double-digit scoring numbers to bury the Mavericks in such a large deficit. That list would have been extended had Sam Hauser knocked down another field goal.
Nonetheless, it was an impressive performance on all sides. Jaylen Brown led all scores by seven of 12 from the line for 22 points. Jayson Tatum, on the other hand, was the chairman of the board. The Celtics superstar scored a double-double with his 11 rebounds and 16 points.
Jason Kidd and the rest of the Mavericks are going to have big schematic changes in the next game of this NBA Finals series. Hopefully, Mazzulla and the rest of the Celtics are able to weather the storm. Now, it only takes three more games to win for their 18th banner.
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