Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum isn't concerned about his ability to rebound from a poor shooting effort in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Speaking to reporters after Saturday's practice, Tatum said he knows how to respond because this has happened to him before.

"I've had some bad shooting nights in the NBA," he explained. "So it's like, 'I've been here before.' I know what to do next game."

Tatum had his second-worst shooting game of the 2021-22 season by field-goal percentage Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. He made three of 17 attempts (17.6 percent) and finished with 12 points.

Despite the rough shooting night, Tatum did impact the game in other ways. The three-time All-Star had a playoff career-high 13 assists, with three coming during the Celtics' 17-0 run late in the fourth quarter when they took a 117-103 lead. He only had two turnovers, as well.

Tatum is right about his ability to bounce back from a poor shooting performance. Thursday was the third time this postseason the 24-year-old has shot worse than 30 percent from the field. The previous two times it happened, he has averaged 30.5 points with a 47.5 field-goal percentage in the next game.

One key difference from Game 1 against the Warriors is the Celtics won this game with Tatum having a bad scoring night. They lost the first two games when he failed to make at least 30 percent of his field-goal attempts (Game 3 vs. Milwaukee; Game 3 vs. Miami).

Boston's ability to steal the first game of the NBA Finals with its best player having a subpar offensive performance could be critical as the series continues.

Even with some potential regression coming for players like Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Derrick White (combined 15-of-23 from three-point range in Game 1), Tatum playing up to his usual standard can offset that.

The Celtics have been pushing all of the right buttons throughout this postseason. Tatum is their best player and figures to have a superstar showing at some point in the series. He will have his first opportunity to do so in Game 2.

The Warriors will host the Celtics at the Chase Center on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET trying to even the NBA Finals.

After a 120-108 Boston Celtics victory that ended with a 40-16 fourth quarter, the outlook of the 2022 NBA Finals is different than it was 24 hours ago.

Heading into Game 1, Bleacher Report's NBA staff picked the Golden State Warriors by a vote of 4-3. ESPN was more confident. Its tally was 18-5 in favor of the Warriors.

Maybe we all should've trusted the computers (and the last few months of evidence) a bit more.

From January 1 to the end of the regular season, Boston had (by far) the best net rating in the league. Despite having two series go seven games, they were first in that category in the playoffs too.

Their dominance made them overwhelming favorites against the Warriors in projection systems at ESPN, FiveThirtyEight and Basketball Reference. But we tend to distrust NBA teams and players until they win it all. Golden State's already done that three times.

And the inclination to go with the former champions felt pretty good in the first quarter of Game 1.

Stephen Curry hit an NBA-record six threes in that opening frame. He had 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting. On two possessions, Boston seemed to flat-out forget it was playing against the greatest shooter of all time. He walked into wide-open triples while the Celtics were trying to figure out whose responsibility he was.

But even with Curry looking like the 2015-16 version of himself, Boston only trailed by four after the first 12 minutes. And the rest of the half felt like a microcosm of the Celtics' season.

It took much of the first few months of 2021-22 for them to adapt to new coach Ime Udoka's switch-heavy defensive scheme. Once they did, Boston had the league's most devastating and dynamic defense.

On Thursday, after a few miscommunications in the first quarter, the Celtics stayed the course, continued to switch all over the floor and gained a little momentum in the second.

Golden State's constant ball and player movement is nightmarish for most defenses. Against Boston, it just looked sort of ho-hum.

Even teams with two or three plus defenders, like the Memphis Grizzlies, eventually break down, miss a back cut, botch a switch or wind up with a slow-footed big man scrambling on the perimeter.

In Boston's starting five, there are no weak links. All five players received Defensive Player of the Year votes. Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can shut down perimeter matchups. Al Horford is about as good as any big when switching onto a guard or wing (look back on his defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this postseason). And Robert Williams III cleans up the few mistakes that are made like an All-Pro safety.

Even reserves Derrick White and Grant Williams could be dropped into the roster of plenty of other teams and instantly be one of their best defenders.

Regardless of who was on the floor Thursday, the Celtics were switching everything. With the exception of Curry's hot streak in the first quarter and a nice run from Andrew Wiggins in the third, it worked about as well as it did against most of the league.

Even with the slow start in November and December, the Celtics have an NBA-leading 22 20-point wins in the regular and postseason. And many of those came thanks to runs like the one Boston unleashed in Thursday's fourth quarter.

Curry hit two shots early in the final frame, but he couldn't find any space the rest of the way. And after Boston went 12-of-29 in the first three quarters, a dam seemingly broke in the fourth. In the final 12 minutes, the Celtics went 9-of-12 from deep and scored 40 points. They went on a 17-0 run that flipped the game on its head.

The scoring distribution in that run highlights another problem for Golden State. Tatum and Brown didn't contribute a single point. Tatum went 3-of-17 from the field for the entire game. The Celtics don't need to have Tatum dominate as a scorer (though his 13 assists sure helped).

On any given night, Boston can get big scoring performances from plenty of guys who aren't their No. 1 option. Thursday, Horford had 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Marcus Smart had 18 points on 11 shots. Brown was less efficient, but he still had 24. And the biggest swing may have come from White, who dropped 21 off the bench.

For the Celtics to comfortably win a game in which Curry had 34 and Tatum hit just three shots has to be concerning. The latter will absolutely have bigger scoring games. The former might have to play like he did in the first quarter for an entire game.

Boston is bigger, more explosive and younger at almost every position.

That doesn't mean the series is wrapped. Overreactions run rampant in the playoffs, and there's a reason so many trusted the Warriors before the series tipped off. More high pick-and-roll with Curry and Green could be in the cards (though Green's 2-of-12 shooting performance won't inspire much fear in the Celtics going forward). To mitigate some of the physical disadvantages, playing Gary Payton II and Jonathan Kuminga might be necessary.

The Warriors have been here before. They'll figure something out.

Forty-eight minutes into the Finals, though, it's a lot easier to see what the computers were banking on and a lot harder to trust our own pre-series judgments.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors 120-108 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday to take a 1-0 series lead—and what a win it was.

The Celtics were down by 12 points entering the fourth quarter of Thursday's game, but it felt like they were down by much more than that. However, Boston's offense exploded in the final eight minutes of the game to make a miraculous comeback against Stephen Curry and the Warriors.

While Jayson Tatum had a rather quiet night, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White powered the Celtics to victory with their fourth-quarter performances. Boston outscored Golden State 40-16 in the final quarter.

Horford had an incredible performance, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Meanwhile, Brown finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block, while White finished with 21 points, one rebound and three assists off the bench.

For comparison, Tatum had just 12 points, though he found other ways to contribute with 13 assists, five rebounds and one steal.

The decision to bring Horford back to Boston has paid dividends for Brad Stevens and the Celtics. So has the decision to acquire White at the trade deadline. The C's would not be in the NBA Finals without those players, let alone have a 1-0 series lead.

If the Celtics can continue getting key performances from players like Horford and White, they'll be in a good position down the stretch, especially if Tatum can find his rhythm moving forward.

Game 2 between the Celtics and Warriors is set for Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET.

The Golden State Warriors were at home.

The Golden State Warriors got 21 points and six made three-pointers from Stephen Curry in the first quarter alone.

The Golden State Warriors held Jayson Tatum to an ugly 3-of-17 shooting from the field.

The Golden State Warriors lost.

Somehow, someway, the Boston Celtics stunned the Warriors with a 120-108 comeback victory in Thursday's Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Golden State looked well on its way to moving within three victories of its fourth title in eight years when it built a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the visitors won the fourth quarter 40-16.

It was a stunning collapse, and social media quickly turned on the Game 1 losers:

Boston deserves plenty of credit for weathering the early Curry storm, adjusting and staying within striking distance during the first three quarters even while its go-to option couldn't buy a basket.

Jaylen Brown seemed to sense Tatum didn't have his shot Thursday and shifted into takeover mode for extended stretches on his way to 24 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Yet it was the supporting cast of Al Horford, Derrick White and even Payton Pritchard that caught fire from deep and suddenly built an insurmountable lead.

Horford (26 points and six made three-pointers) and White (21 points and five made three-pointers) in particular were excellent when the game was hanging in the balance, and the Warriors had no answers for an entire quarter.

As a result, Boston has a chance to seize complete control of the series with Game 2 on the road Sunday.

Most bettors are predicting the Golden State Warriors to win the 2022 NBA title over the Boston Celtics, starting with a Game 1 victory.

According to David Purdum of ESPN, 87 percent of the money wagered at PointsBet has been on the Warriors to win the best-of-seven series. For Game 1, 80 percent of the spread bets at FanDuel were for Golden State as of Wednesday.

FanDuel lists the Warriors as a four-point favorite for Thursday's Game 1 at home in the Chase Center. The team is -160 ($160 bet to win $100) to win the whole series on FanDuel, while the Celtics are +135 ($100 bet to win $135) underdogs.

The Warriors do have home-court advantage in the series, which could be important if it lasts all seven games. The Celtics won a road Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals over the Miami Heat, but it could be difficult to pull off twice.

Golden State is also more rested, needing just five games to beat the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference and 16 games overall in the playoffs. Boston has played 18 games, including 14 in the last two rounds alone.

Adding in the Warriors' experience at this level with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green preparing for their sixth NBA Finals together, there are plenty of reasons to be confident in the favorites.

On the other hand, the analytics give the Celtics a good chance of pulling the upset:

With Jayson Tatum emerging as a superstar during the playoff run and the team's impressive defense, Boston should not be counted out. In fact, multiple people placed large bets on the Celtics as the underdogs.

"I really respect the two [bettors] that played the sharp stuff with us on the Game 1 money line and the series," Jeff Sherman, the SuperBook's vice president of risk, told Purdum.

It could cause some to second-guess their wagers heading into Thursday's game.

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting. Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado or Tennessee. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is gearing up for his first NBA Finals appearance, and he's lucky to still be playing.

The Defensive Player of the Year told reporters on Wednesday ahead of Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors that the ankle injury he suffered in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat was "pretty serious" and that he's "thankful" to still be playing.

"The ankle was a pretty serious injury," Smart said. "I’m thankful to be able to play, let alone still walk."

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka told reporters Wednesday that Smart is still dealing with a sprained ankle and is listed as questionable for Game 1 against the Warriors.

"Once the swelling goes down and the pain goes down, that obviously will improve his situation," Udoka said.

Smart injured his right ankle in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals while trying to grab a rebound on a shot by Grant Williams. He jumped up to grab the ball before landing awkwardly on his ankle.

The 28-year-old went to the locker room before returning to the court moments later to finish the game. However, he didn't play Game 4, though the Celtics won without him thanks to a 31-point performance from Jayson Tatum.

That said, Smart is still a significant component to Boston's success and the team will need him at least somewhat healthy in order to compete with Stephen Curry and the Warriors. Entering the NBA Finals, the veteran is averaging 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game in the postseason.

Smart's performance this season has even garnered the respect of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who said he's "like the guard version of Draymond [Green]." In addition, Green himself lauded Smart while speaking with reporters Wednesday, saying he's a "great leader."

Game 1 between the Celtics and Warriors is set for Thursday night at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. While Smart is listed as questionable, it's hard to imagine him missing any time in the finals.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, two of the best defensive players in the NBA, have no shortage of praise and respect for each other heading into their NBA Finals matchup.

Smart told reporters Wednesday he appreciates comparisons to Green, who has helped lead the Warriors to three NBA titles over his 10-year career.

"It's an honor to be compared to a guy of Draymond's caliber," Smart said. "You know, a champion, a great leader, a great defender and, you know, he does what he does very well, so I like to look at myself as that way, and I definitely take some notes on Draymond and the way that he leads, the way that he plays the game."

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Monday he thinks Smart is "like the guard version of Draymond":

His strength and his anticipation, he’s got an incredible feel for the game at that end. ... He's reading angles, he's guarding all five positions, if he switches on to a five man, he's so strong, he can hold them off. He's quick enough to chase point guards around, big enough to guard wings so he can literally guard 1-5 in the modern game. He's appropriately named, very smart player and really versatile and great, great defender.”

Green also lauded Smart during a press conference Wednesday: "He thinks the game. You can see it on the floor. ... And he's a great leader. And he's grown so much. It's been really good to watch."

Smart has always been a tremendous defender, and his efforts this season landed him the Defensive Player of the Year Award, making him the first guard to win the trophy since Gary Payton in 1996.

The 28-year-old was the driving force behind Boston's top-ranked defense, finishing the regular season seventh in steals per game (1.7), first in loose balls recovered per game (1.1) and fifth among guards with a 105.2 defensive rating.

Smart also had 106 deflections and drew 16 charges, both 10th-best in the NBA, and averaged a career-high 3.2 defensive rebounds per game.

As for Green, he averaged 6.3 defensive rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. The 32-year-old also finished with 113 deflections, 38 loose balls recovered and 389 contested shots.

Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award during the 2016-17 season and has earned All-Defensive honors seven times.

Smart has been the better defender this year, though, and if the Celtics win the title, he could be a candidate for Finals MVP with the way he's been playing. Game 1 is set for Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Jaylen Brown is almost $1 million richer after helping guide the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals.

ESPN's Bobby Marks noted Brown will receive a $964,286 bonus because of Boston's Finals run. Continued progress could carry implications for the team's salary cap situation for the 2022-23 season.

Brown has been excellent throughout the postseason, averaging 22.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals. He's shot 48.5 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.

The four-year, $106.3 million extension he signed with the Celtics in 2019 has been a bit of a bargain. The 25-year-old made his first All-Star team in 2020-21 and was instrumental in Boston's second-half turnaround this season.

Brown isn't eligible to hit free agency until 2024, so he won't be able to immediately cash in on the team's success with a new deal. But it's safe to say getting to the Finals is bound to raise his earning potential with the Celtics or another team should he enter the open market.

Al Horford has been a huge part of the Bostons Celtics' run to the NBA Finals, and it appears the franchise plans to keep him on board for the 2022-23 campaign at his full salary. 

Horford's contract became guaranteed up to $19.5 million with Boston's berth in the 2022 NBA Finals. If they win the Finals, his 2022-23 salary will rise to $26.5 million. However, MassLive's Brian Robb reported Monday the Celtics plan to give Horford a guaranteed $26.5 million in the final year of his contract whether the team wins the title or not.

The Celtics acquired Horford from the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the 2021-22 campaign and he has been solid in his second stint with the franchise. 

During the regular season, Horford averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 blocks in 69 games. He has been even better in the playoffs against some of the NBA's toughest opponents, including Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, averaging 11.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 blocks in 17 games. 

Horford, who will turn 36 on June 3, had never been to the NBA Finals, having played 141 playoff games without reaching the league's biggest stage. He ended that streak with a Game 7 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.

Horford had a solid performance in Game 7, too, posting five points, 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in the win. His Celtics teammates lauded him after the victory. 

Jaylen Brown told reporters:

Nobody deserves it more than this guy on my right. His energy, his demeanor. Coming in every day, being a professional, taking care of his body, being a leader. I'm proud to be able to share this moment with a veteran, a mentor, a brother, a guy like Al Horford, man. He's been great all season, really my whole career. So, I'm happy to be able to share this moment with somebody like him." 

Based on his performance this season, there was little question about whether the Celtics should bring Horford back.

If he continues to impress in the NBA Finals against the Warriors, he'll only have furthered his case to make $26.5 million next season, regardless of the outcome. 

Game 1 between the Celtics and Warriors is set for Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco.