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Dallas Stumbles in NBA Finals Opener

 Mavericks Stumble in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Losing 107-89 to the Celtics

The Dallas Mavericks faltered in the NBA Finals opener on Thursday night, falling 107-89 to the Boston Celtics. Kristaps Porziņģis led Boston with 20 points off the bench, while Luka Dončić’s 30 points paced Dallas in the loss.

The game began with both teams trading baskets and leads amidst hot shooting. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford each contributed early points, keeping the score close. Following a Celtics timeout, Kristaps Porziņģis made his first appearance, and Derrick White nailed consecutive three-pointers, giving Boston a slight edge. The Celtics then went on a run, sparked by a Porziņģis dunk and jumper, stretching their lead to 10 and forcing a Dallas timeout. Despite Jaden Hardy’s basket, the Celtics answered with three straight threes, ending the first quarter up 37-20.

The second quarter began with Kyrie Irving’s floater breaking a 23-5 Celtics run, but Boston continued to dominate. Porziņģis stayed hot, hitting contested jumpers that pushed the lead to 21 points. Dallas coach Jason Kidd’s shift to a smaller lineup didn’t slow the Celtics, who capitalized on Mavericks turnovers to extend the lead to 29 points. A few baskets from Dallas trimmed the deficit slightly, but Boston maintained a 63-42 advantage at halftime.

In the third quarter, Dallas quickly reduced the lead to 18 but struggled with scoring droughts and miscues from Irving. After Irving’s layup and a transition score by P.J. Washington, the Celtics’ lead was cut to 16, prompting a timeout. Dallas managed to cut the deficit to eight after Dončić’s second three-pointer of the quarter. However, following a Boston timeout, the Mavericks’ momentum faltered with back-to-back travels and allowing an offensive rebound leading to a Porziņģis dunk. Dallas fell behind by 16 again after Lively’s foul trouble and two more Celtics three-pointers. By the end of the third quarter, Boston led 86-66.

On Saturday night, Porziņģis seemed to show his age.

Reflecting on Kristaps Porziņģis’ performance, it's hard not to reminisce about his earlier days. From his standout performances in 2019-20 until his unfortunate meniscus injury in the NBA Bubble, Porziņģis showcased immense talent. However, his time in Dallas hasn’t quite lived up to those heights, particularly evident in his lower body strength during post-up plays. It's both encouraging for basketball fans to see him healthy again and frustrating for Mavericks supporters to witness a former star player dominate them on such a grand stage. Porziņģis’ performance will undoubtedly be pivotal in this series, and if Dallas can't find a way to contain him, their playoff journey may be cut short.

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