Celtics Rout Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of NBA Finals Behind Brown Returning

Boston takes early series lead

Brown's return boosts Celtics

The Boston Celtics took an early lead in the NBA Finals on Thursday night, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Jaylen Brown, who missed the last three games of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a hamstring injury, returned to the Celtics lineup and made an immediate impact. Brown scored 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, and also grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics in scoring with 29 points on 11-of-23 shooting, while Marcus Smart added 18 points and Robert Williams III had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 20 points on 7-of-22 shooting, but he was not able to get enough help from his teammates. Spencer Dinwiddie added 17 points, while Jalen Brunson had 15 points.

The Celtics took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 32-18. Brown scored 10 points in the quarter, while Tatum added eight points.

The Mavericks were able to cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics were able to hold on for the victory.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals will be played on Sunday night at the Chase Center.

**Conclusion** The Celtics' victory in Game 1 was a major statement. They showed that they are the better team, and they are now in control of the series. The Mavericks will need to make some adjustments if they want to get back into the series, but the Celtics are looking like they are on a mission to win their 18th NBA championship.