Celtics’ scorching Game 1 start leads to brutal Kyrie Irving, Mavericks clowning

Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals did not start out very well for Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks as they got pounded right away by the Boston Celtics. Led by Kristaps Porzingis, who returned after a lengthy absence in the playoffs, the Celtics showed everyone why they entered the postseason as the favorite to go all the way and win an NBA championship.

The Mavericks are not an easy customer for Boston by any means but in that first quarter, Dallas looked like it did not belong on the same floor with the powerful Celtics squad which fired on all cylinders. Porzingis played a revenge quarter to help Boston bury the Mavs in a 17-point hole by the end of the opening quarter, as he scored 11 points, grabbed three rebounds, swatted away three shots, and went plus-16 after the first 12 minutes of the contest.

That brutal showing in the first quarter by the Mavericks led to a seemingly endless trolling targeted at Kyrie Irving and Dallas. Irving, of course, has an intriguing history with the Celtics, and Boston fans (and NBA fans in general) inside TD Garden and on social media let him hear what they really feel about him — and his team — after that wild first quarter.

The Mavericks showed a little more life in the second quarter where they only got outscored by four points. In the third quarter, Dallas finally got it going with 24 points but Boston countered with 23 points. Boston has made it abundantly clear from the get-go of the NBA Finals why they entered this series as the heavy favorites, though, that doesn't mean the Mavericks are not capable of getting it together.

After a run by the Mavericks, the Celtics answered with a run of their own and pulled away completely from Dallas again in the second half. People are already starting to wonder whether the Mavericks have it in them to upset Boston in the finals, and that likely depends on the capabilities of Irving and Luka Doncic. Irving hasn't been shooting very well in Game 1 while Doncic has done most of the heavy lifting for the Mavs, who need both their stars clicking on offense if they are to stun the Celtics in the finals.

Outside of Doncic, no other Mavericks player has seemingly made a significant impact. Even Irving seems to be out of his game, as he's got just 12 points on 6/18 shooting from the field when he was taken off the floor with several minutes to go. Derrick Jones Jr., Daniel Gafford, and Derek Lively II combined for only 15 points before sitting out the rest of the contest. Doncic led Dallas with 30 points on 12/26 shooting from the floor.

As for the Celtics, the return of Porzingis has truly given them a huge shot in the arm, and he'll continue to be a watched man going forward in this series. He ended up with 20 points coming off the bench, while Jaylen Brown paced Boston with 22 points in a 107-89 victory.

More reactions to Celtics' dominant start vs. Irving, Mavericks

Some more reactions gathered from the corners of X:

“Imagine if the mavs had a guy like porzingis”

Related Boston Celtics NewsArticle continues below

Dirk Nowitzki joins LeBron James, Steve Nash to break down signature play4h

DeMarcus Cousins proposes Mavericks’ Kevin Durant-Cooper Flagg swap2d

Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki gets 100% real on Paige Bueckers’ potential2d

Ranking 3 best Jrue Holiday trade destinations if Celtics make big changes2d

Subscribe To Our NBA Newsletter

“Kyrie Irving is playing the worst game of his career meanwhile Tatum and Brown is getting carried by KP”

“Bro missing everything he touch mannnn this not what I wanted to see”

“Boston in four!! I'm calling it!!”

“MAVS FANS DOWN BAD”

“Mavs are in no way capable of hanging with Boston…..probably a sweep”

“Mavs is doneeeee!!!!! Celtics in 4”

“Mavs role players as soon as they made the finals”