Celtics Boston

Celtics 105 Mavericks 98 Brown Calls on Celtics Nation for Game 2

Boston Celtics Defeat Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Jayson Tatum Leads the Way with 32 Points

The Boston Celtics took a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals after a 105-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 on Tuesday night at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Jaylen Brown added 29 points and nine rebounds. Luka Dončić paced the Mavericks with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.

The Celtics jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, holding a double-digit advantage for most of the game. Brown scored 12 points in the first quarter to help Boston take a 32-25 lead. The Celtics extended their lead to 17 points in the second quarter before the Mavericks cut it to 10 at halftime, 60-50.

Boston maintained its lead in the third quarter, and Dončić's late surge in the fourth quarter wasn't enough to close the gap. The Celtics hit 10 of their 24 three-point attempts, while the Mavericks made just 7 of their 30 attempts. Boston also had a 51-41 rebounding advantage.

The Celtics will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series when they host Game 2 on Thursday night at TD Garden. Brown urged the Celtics Nation to rally behind the team as they look to build a commanding lead.

"We need all of Celtics Nation behind us on Thursday," Brown said. "The atmosphere was electric tonight, and we need it to be even louder in Game 2. We're not going to let up, and we're going to keep fighting for this city."

The Celtics are now 1-0 at home in the NBA Finals this season. They are 10-2 overall in the playoffs, while the Mavericks are now 6-4. Game 3 of the series will be on Saturday night in Dallas.