The second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals in many ways provided a snapshot of the Boston Celtics’ 2021-22 season.
They initially struggled, falling behind 92-80 after three quarters, before roaring back in the final frame to defeat the Golden State Warriors 120-108 at Chase Center. Boston’s resilience was on full display.
Jayson Tatum didn’t have his best game, totaling just 12 points and shooting 3-for-17 from the field, including 1-for-5 from beyond the arc. But the Celtics star made up for his lack of scoring by dishing out 13 assists as Boston used a total team effort to earn an amazing comeback victory on the road.
“The message at the start of the fourth (quarter) was just, ‘We’ve been here before. We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that,’ ” Tatum told reporters after the game. “Obviously, that’s a great team. It’s not going to be easy. But just knowing that we’ve been in that situation before and we’ve gotten ourselves out of it.
“And we had a lot of time left, right? It wasn’t time to hang your head or be down. It was time to figure it out.”
The Celtics outscored the Warriors 40-16 in the fourth quarter thanks to increased defensive pressure and lights-out shooting, spearheaded by the likes of Tatum’s co-star, Jaylen Brown, as well as role players like Al Horford and Derrick White. The Celtics used a 20-2 run to completely seize control, a jaw-dropping turnaround from Stephen Curry’s first-quarter dominance and the Warriors’ third-quarter outburst.
All in all, it was an impressive victory for the Celtics, who’ve repeatedly responded well to adversity this season. It’s now on the Warriors to answer in Game 2, or else Boston could bring a commanding 2-0 series lead back to TD Garden.
Tipoff for Game 2 at Chase Center is scheduled for Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET.
