Game recap: Celtics 120, Warriors 108 (Boston leads series, 1-0)
• Complete coverage: 2022 NBA Finals
After a two-year hiatus, the NBA Finals are back in the Bay Area as the Golden State Warriors host the Boston Celtics in Game 1. Can the Warriors win their fourth title in eight years (and seventh in franchise history)? Or will the Boston Celtics win title No. 18 and break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in NBA history? The first step toward the title will be taken inside Chase Center, which hosts its first Finals game on Thursday night.
Here are 24 thoughts on Game 1 as it unfolded in the Bay.
24. Before the game even tips off a bit of history has been made as the ABC broadcast will feature the first all-Black TV announcing crew in NBA Finals history. Salute to Mark Jones, Mark Jackson and Lisa Salters. Have a great call!
History on the mic tonight in the #NBAFinals ️@MarkJonesESPN ✘ @MarkJackson13 ✘ @saltersl
(h/t @MarcJSpears) pic.twitter.com/jPgQB1T8HD
— ESPN (@espn) June 3, 2022
Also: so happy for @MarkJonesESPN and @saltersl, teaming with @MarkJackson13 tonight for Game 1 on the ABC team (and sorry that Mike Been and JVG are sick). Three great people, and great broadcasters.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 3, 2022
23. One more before things get underway: we have to discuss the pre-game fits, including a statement blazer from Jayson Tatum.
Tatum's fit for Game 1 ✨ #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/OlaUBu9dVX
— ESPN (@espn) June 3, 2022
@nba Who is rockin’ your favorite Game 1 fit? #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV #nba #celtics #warriors
♬ original sound – NBA
22. This is a battle of the top two defensive teams in the league this season, so we’ll be watching individual matchups, how often teams are switching, how they will handle pick-and-rolls. Lots of chess moves to be made.
As expected, the DPOY Marcus Smart starts the game defending Stephen Curry. Curry gets the first bucket of the game — a 3-pointer — off an offensive rebound from Kevon Looney (as the Chase Center crowd chants “LOOOOONNNN!”)
Steph Curry opens up Game 1 in Steph Curry fashion
Game 1 Live Now on ABC pic.twitter.com/krG2R3zVcp
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Speaking of Looney, the Celtics are hunting him on the perimeter. He just had back-to-back possessions guarding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. So far, Looney is holding up.
Starting Time Lord on Wiggins and Tatum on Draymond is a fascinating defensive strategy for Boston.
But I'm going to guess that leaving Steph Curry wide open for a walk-up 3-pointer wasn't in the game plan.
— Zach Kram (@zachkram) June 3, 2022
21. Curry with three 3-pointers in the first 6:05 of the first quarter. His third gives the Warriors a 20-14 lead and forces a Boston timeout. Curry has 11 of Golden State’s first 20 points. Andrew Wiggins with six, Klay Thompson with three. Smart leads the Celtics with six points, with three apiece from Tatum and Al Horford and an alley oop dunk from Robert Williams III.
Steph Curry starts Game 1 on
He has 11 of the @warriors 20 points so far in Q1!#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
The timeout didn’t cool Curry off at all as he splashes his fourth triple in the first seven minutes.
Steph Curry starts Q1 on he's up to 14 points & 4 3PM for the @warriors! #ToastedHighlight pic.twitter.com/UVvBY5dm0Q
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
steph showed up ready to collect his FMVP trophy i see
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) June 3, 2022
First time Curry has made 4 3s in the first quarter of a playoff game since 2017 against the Spurs
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 3, 2022
Find someone that trusts you as much as Steph trusts that Klay is going to splash this 3-pointer.
@nba The Splash Brothers connection is something else #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV #nba #basketball #sports
♬ original sound – NBA
20. Defense —> Offense
Brown is getting it done on both ends of the court to deliver a four-point swing for the Celtics. First he blocks Looney’s dunk attempt in transition, then comes back down the court for an uncontested dunk of his own.
The block …
NPE pic.twitter.com/cjfD77cFl0
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022
… and the dunk.
HAMMERTIME pic.twitter.com/2WTA2l80Zm
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022
19. Andre Iguodala checks in for first action since Game 4 of the first round. It’s always nice to have a former Finals MVP coming off the bench. Good to see that all players were available to open the series after both teams had a number of players battling injuries in the previous rounds.
18. Just when you think there aren’t any more 3-point records for Curry to break, he found another one as his sixth 3-pointer of the first quarter topped the previous mark of five for most 3-pointers in a quarter in Finals history. Curry did have two of the four games with five 3s, so he’s really just breaking his own records at this point.
Most three-point field goals made, one quarter, NBA Finals
- 6: Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Boston, June 2, 2022 (1st Quarter)
- 5: Kenny Smith, Houston at Orlando, June 7, 1995 (3rd Quarter)
- 5: Ray Allen, Boston at L.A. Lakers, June 6, 2010 (2nd Quarter)
- 5: Stephen Curry, Golden State at Cleveland, June 9, 2015 (4th Quarter)
- 5: Stephen Curry, Golden State vs. Cleveland, June 3, 2018 (4th Quarter)
A few records to watch the rest of the game:
- Ray Allen has the most 3s in a Finals half with seven (that one seems like its going down tonight)
- Curry has the most 3s in a Finals game with nine (that one may also be in serious danger)
Stephen Curry has set the NBA Finals record for three-pointers made in a quarter with six in the first quarter.
The previous record was five, shared by Curry, Ray Allen and Kenny Smith.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 3, 2022
17. The first quarter ends with Golden State leading 32-28 thanks to 21 points on 7-9 FG (6-8 3FG) shooting from Curry.
Steph is COOKING early in Game 1
21 PTS & 6 3PM in the 1st quarter! pic.twitter.com/T5lFdEfF4J
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022
21 points in the first quarter for Steph Curry. Hotter than fish grease is right, @MarkJonesESPN…
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 3, 2022
As I mentioned in here, Steph averaged 35.1 points while hitting half of his threes (41 of 82) in the six games against Boston leading up to their last matchup (when he got hurt after 14 minutes). This is not new…https://t.co/UJsz8QzdLu
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 3, 2022
Curry's 21 first-quarter points are the most in a Finals quarter since Michael Jordan had 22 in the 4th quarter of Game 4 against Phoenix in 1993. pic.twitter.com/dh7GZoJFRm
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 3, 2022
The team that's switched the most ball screens this season has been in drop coverage against Stephen Curry.
(And yes, I understand that Williams & Theis have mostly been in drop all season. Still.)
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) June 3, 2022
Boston only trailing by four with Steph going Human Torch is significant. They’ve absorbed a heck of a punch from him and the Warriors. Can they deliver one of their own in the second quarter? They’ll get a chance to do it with Steph starting the quarter on the bench. So far that’s the only thing that’s been able to stop him.
16. We got a Finals wedgie — shout out to The Starters (now the No Dunks) crew — on a block by Robert Williams III on Jordan Poole layup attempt.
Finals Wedgie?! Extremely rare.
— Tas Melas (@TasMelas) June 3, 2022
Quick correction: Gotta give credit to Robert Williams III for the block. #WeAreWedgie https://t.co/WeS83FVmQN
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) June 3, 2022
15. Big response from the Celtics with a 10-0 run to tie the game at 47-47 with five minutes remaining in the half. Brown with six of the 10 points in the run as he leads the Celtics with 10 points total.
Marcus Smart ties it up for the @celtics on ABC!
Game 1 Live Now pic.twitter.com/dGahy6qmc7
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Tied at 47 which is a massive W for the Celtics given Steph’s start.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 3, 2022
A pair of free throws from Brown with 2:32 left in the half gives Boston its first lead since the opening minutes of the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Curry has no points on 0-for-2 shooting so far in the second quarter and was just hit with back-to-back fouls in less than a minute. He goes to the bench with 54 seconds to play still sitting on 21 points.
A tale of two quarters for Steph Curry
Celtics up 2 at the half #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/L843so0W36
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 3, 2022
14. At the half, the Celtics lead 56-54 after outscoring the Warriors 28-22 in the second quarter.
What a first-half in Game 1 @celtics 56 | @warriors 54
HALFTIME on ABC#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/uOmJpKikAp— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Jayson Tatum didn't have his best scoring half, but he did rack up 7 assists in the first two quarters of Game 1.
That's the most assists in a half of a player's NBA Finals debut since John Stockton had 7 in the second half of Game 1 against the Bulls in 1997. pic.twitter.com/a2MpK41pgj
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 3, 2022
Curry still leads all scorers with 21 points, while Brown (12) and Smart (10) have combined for 22 for Boston. Tatum has eight points and seven assists for the Celtics, while Otto Porter Jr. has been a spark off the Warriors bench with nine points on a three 3-pointers.
Shout out to Kevin O’Connor for digging into the Second Spectrum data at the half. As discussed earlier, Boston was hunting that Looney switch from the opening tip and now we have the numbers to show for it.
The Celtics aren't yet attacking Steph or Poole like we saw the Mavs do last round. In the first half, they ran only 4 pick-and-rolls vs Poole and 3 vs Curry. Instead, they attacked Kevon Looney 17 times and scored 20 points. They want a Looney switch. Stat via @SecondSpectrum. pic.twitter.com/uaxz42hU65
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 3, 2022
13. We’ve got a milestone watch update for the Warriors at the break as the “Big Three” continue to climb the all-time playoff lists: Klay is now second in playoff 3s, Curry is 13th in playoff points and Green is ninth in Finals steals.
Congrats to @KlayThompson of the @warriors on moving up to 2nd on the All-Time Playoffs 3-Pointers made list! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/aAuPGYEJ2k
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Congrats to @StephenCurry30 of the @warriors on moving up to 13th on the All-Time NBA Finals Scoring List! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/X3YNxG4hQg
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Congrats to @Money23Green of the @warriors on moving up to 9th on the All-Time NBA Finals Steals List! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/72m4lcJ8my
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
12. A quick start for the Warriors to open the 2nd half, as they get a 3 by Wiggins and a runner by Curry to take the lead back.
But then Marcus Smart decided to break out the old around-the-world move to put the Celtics on the board in the third.
Marcus Smart "around the world" and in for the bucket
Game 1 Live Now on ABC#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/eY6BNuB65Z
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
After going scoreless in the second quarter, Curry has a quick five points in the third as he knocks down his seventh 3-pointer of the game. He’s up to 25 points while only scoring in odd numbered quarters. Smart responds by picking up Steph at half court, plays aggressive on-ball defense 40 feet from the basket. After a few swipes, a foul is called. Curry shoots the 3-pointer after the whistle and it splashes (don’t waste them when they don’t count, Steph).
11. Wiggins knocks down another 3-pointer for Golden State, and another coming off an offensive rebound by Looney. We saw a similar play for the first bucket of the game for Curry. The Warriors are outscoring the Celtics on second-chance points 19-5 (and have a 10-3 advantage on offensive boards) so far.
Kevon Looney becoming Wes Unseld on the glass in the playoffs is such a huge bonus for the Warriors…
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 3, 2022
Five more offensive rebounds for Kevon Looney in 15 minutes. An NBA high 47 offensive rebounds in these playoffs.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 3, 2022
Kevon Looney continuing to dominate the offensive glass is not something I anticipated coming into this series. He's already got five offensive rebounds, and Golden State has a 19-5 edge in second chance points. That's the difference in this game so far.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 3, 2022
10. Curry is fully in his bag in Game 1. He shakes Jaylen Brown on the drive, then flings up the acrobatic runner in the lane that falls through as Steph crashes to the floor. He’s up to 28 points on the night and the Warriors are up by nine.
Steph is unreal
(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/7vTRWLbkmv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 3, 2022
9. It’s been another big third quarter for the Warriors so far — a theme for this year’s postseason. Can the Celtics stop the bleeding?
"The @warriors are the best 3rd quarter team I've ever seen."
Join @CJMcCollum on ESPN2 for the NBA Finals: Celebrating 75 broadcast pic.twitter.com/7Xgv7zXoK2
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Golden State hitting the Celtics with a vintage Third Quarter Warriors third quarter … led by Third Quarter Loon.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 3, 2022
8. “(Finals) MVP” chants for Curry at the free throw line with four minutes remaining in the third. He makes both to give him 30 points on the night and puts the Warriors back up by double-digits (77-66).
The Warriors push the lead to 15 points — their biggest of the game — on a pair of Wiggins free throws (he’s up to 20 points). Can the Celtics cut this to single digits heading into the fourth or will the Warriors put this one out of reach?
7. The third quarter ends with Golden State leading 92-80 after winning the third quarter 38-24. It is the fifth time this postseason that the Warriors have scored at least 35 points in the third quarter.
In the star matchup, Curry has a decisive edge over Tatum. Curry has 30 points on 10-19 shooting (7-13 3P) while Tatum can’t buy a bucket as he has just 12 points on 3-14 FG (1-5 3P).
30 PTS for Chef Curry through 3 quarters!
BOS 80 | GSW 92
Start of Q4 on ABCThe #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/JS5v9rtjm2
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are a combined 9-of-31 from the field
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 3, 2022
6. Boston’s not done yet! The Celtics open the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to five points with 9:35 to play. Timeout Warriors.
Similar to the second quarter, Steph begins the fourth on the bench. How long will they sit him? Not long … he’s back in the game after the timeout.
Punch dribble and SWISH
JB leads the @celtics with 19 points on ABC.
The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/5IjZaMu5XG
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Not hurting the Finals MVP campaign that Boston is dominating the non-Steph minutes … https://t.co/NrDhKRtBJY
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 3, 2022
The Warriors come out of the timeout and immediately turn the ball over, leading to a fast-break layup for the Celtics and making this a three-point game.
5. We just saw nine straight possessions (from 8:44 to 6:05 remaining) with a made bucket as the teams are trading shots back and forth. Can one of these elite defenses get a stop?
Jaylen Brown is a perfect 4-4 FGM in Q4
The @celtics have cut the lead to 3 on ABC pic.twitter.com/5iksJd1Emd
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
Derrick White ties the game at 103-103 with 5:40 left to play.
A look back at Derrick White's 3 to tie up the game
No air-space. No problem.
The @celtics lead with less than 3 mins remaining on ABC pic.twitter.com/9JKZyaieVP
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
After a missed runner by Curry, Al Horford splashes a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a three-point lead. We’ve now seen a 15-point swing in the fourth quarter and there’s still 5:08 to play.
Al Horford gives the @celtics the lead
BOS 106 | GSW 103
5:08 remaining in Q4 on ABC— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2022
High level of basketball being displayed gentlemen
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 3, 2022
4. Jaylen Brown has 10 points in the fourth quarter, continuing a stretch of incredible play in the final period this postseason.
Jaylen Brown every time he shoots in the 4th pic.twitter.com/f2nogHH8GJ
— RingerNBA (@ringernba) June 3, 2022
Brown entered the game as the leading fourth-quarter scorer of the playoffs with 120 points on 41-for-66 (62.1%) shooting from field and 18-for-27 (66.7%) from 3-point range. Those numbers are going up tonight.
The Celtics scored 17 points on their last 6 possessions (& 24 on their last 10) going into that timeout.
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) June 3, 2022
The Celtics in the 4th pic.twitter.com/aNFez2v63r
— RingerNBA (@ringernba) June 3, 2022
3. Warriors called two timeouts during this massive fourth-quarter run by the Celtics and have turned the ball over on the possession after the timeout both times.
Meanwhile, some history has been made as there have been 36 combined 3-pointers (and counting) made in this game, the most ever in a Finals game.
BOS and GSW have combined for 36 made 3s – most in any Finals game ever.
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 3, 2022
2. Somehow the Celtics are up by eight points (111-103) with 3:17 to play and Jayson Tatum is still stuck on 12 points on 3-for-17 shooting. While Tatum is shooting 17.6%, the rest of the Celtics have combined to shoot 59.7% (37-for-62).
The tables keep turning as Marcus Smart sinks a 3-pointer after a Celtics offensive rebound to push the lead to 11 with under three minutes remaining.
Less than a minute later, Smart delivers the dagger 3 to put Boston up 117-103 with 1:43 to play. The Celtics have outscored the Warriors 37-11 in the fourth quarter!
Boston was down by 12 entering the 4th quarter tonight.
Under Steve Kerr, the Warriors had been 42-2 in the playoffs when they held a double-digit lead entering the 4th.
— Zach Kram (@zachkram) June 3, 2022
Horford played 140 playoff games before he got his first appearance of the NBA Finals stage. Man has he made the most of it in his Finals debut.
Al Horford's six threes in Game 1 are the most in his career, regular season or playoffs pic.twitter.com/MTa2dIzBMX
— ESPN (@espn) June 3, 2022
1. What a fourth quarter by Boston. They survived the Steph haymaker in the first quarter. They survived the worst shooting night of Jayson Tatum’s playoff career and still got the win.
At the start of the 4th quarter, the Boston Celtics trailed by 12. They ended up with a 12-point win.
The 24-point scoring margin in the 4th tied the largest in any quarter of a Finals game in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/TRKfln8zov
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 3, 2022
If I told you Steph Curry would score 34 points and Jayson Tatum score 12 points (on 3-17 shooting), you prob wouldn’t have guessed this outcome…
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) June 3, 2022
That’s a wrap as Boston takes Game 1 by the final score 120-108. The final tally from the 4th quarter is 40-16 for the Celtics.
The Boston Celtics scored 40 points in the 4th quarter tonight. In their franchise's history, it ties for the 3rd most in the 4th of a Finals game.
42 – 4/25/65 vs. Lakers
42 – 06/17/08 vs. Lakers
40 – 05/27/1985 vs. Lakers
40 – Tonight vs. Warriors@celtics | #NBAFinals2022 pic.twitter.com/vuTV4eYQTO— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 3, 2022
Jay-Z’s “On to the Next One” plays as the Chase Center empties. The Warriors have 48 hours to figure out what happened in the fourth quarter and put together a full 48 minutes to make sure they get out of the Bay with a split.
This is the first home loss of the 2022 playoffs for the Warriors, as the Celtics improved to 8-2 on the road this postseason. Boston is just one road win shy of tying the record of nine road wins in a single postseason set by the 1994-95 Houston Rockets. Can they get it on Sunday in Game 2?
