Celtics demolish Mavericks, 107-89, to storm out to 1-0 NBA Finals lead - The Boston Globe (2024)

Kristaps Porzingis talks his big return — 12:00 a.m.

The highlights from Porzingis’s press conference ...

On what he thought of his performance: “I think obviously what helped me is just even from the walk out before the game and then getting on the court, getting that kind of support was unreal. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins and that definitely helped. Obviously it wasn’t ideal that I was out for such a long time, but I did everything I could to prepare mentally for this moment coming back and it paid off and we got the job done tonight and had a good game and happy about the result.”

On coming off the bench: “Yeah, from day one I came here and I said like I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win, right? I think it was — this situation, you know, it made sense. I didn’t care. I didn’t care. I knew I could prepare to come off the bench, which is something different for me, and that’s what I did and stepped into that role and embraced it and had a good game.”

On preparing for this stage when he hasn’t made it out of the first round in the past: “No, at the end of the day, it’s like, it’s just basketball. It’s okay, it’s high intensity, it’s like more — you know, like, intricacies of the game and stuff, like, more focus on little details. But at the end, it’s just basketball and I’ve been doing this for a long time.

“Even if I have time off, I can jump right back in and I feel the same way. I get to my spots and I do, so whether it’s playoffs regular season or whatever, I know how to do this. That’s it, just having that confidence, going out there whatever, first round or Finals, just going out there with full confidence and giving what I have to the team.”

On what Mazzulla said after calling a timeout when the Mavs closed the gap to eight: “I don’t know, but Joe always gives us the right message, you know what I mean? He himself is very almost -- like, he can be emotionless if that’s what we need and he can just come in, like, completely even keel and give us the right message of what to focus on. And then he can come in and give us some motivation if that’s what we need in that moment, some energy. But I think there he was just even keel and giving us some of the answers to what we need to do out there and that was it, we trust him with his leadership.”

What Luka Doncic had to say after Game 1 — 11:45 p.m.

The highlights from Doncic’s postgame press conference ...

On why he struggled so much (one assist): “They mostly play one-on-one. They send a lot of help. So that’s why.

On being down 0-1 in previous series and what they can learn from it: “I don’t remember. Just either you lose or you win. First to four, we’ve got to focus on the next game.”

On Kristaps Porzingis: “Yeah, he was great for them. He was knocking down shots. He was blocking shots. So he was really, really huge for them on both ends of the floor.”

On what needs to change on defense: “Just like I said right now. We’ve got to take those threes away. That’s what hurt us the most.”

On the run in the second half that brought them within eight: “Just playing our basketball. I think in those moments, we were playing our basketball. We were getting stops. We didn’t allow them to offensive rebound. We were having fun out there those couple moments, and that’s what we’ve got to do more.”

On the the Celtics’ three-point shooting: “I mean, obviously, I think they are the best three-point shooting team in the NBA, so sometimes really hard to take those away. Especially when they have five guys out and they can all shoot. Obviously, we’ve got to make more. We didn’t make enough shots today to beat them. But we’ve got to be better on both ends.”

Highlights from Jason Kidd’s press conference — 11:40 p.m.

Here’s what Mavericks coach Jason Kidd had to say after his team’s Game 1 loss ...

On the nine assists (one for Doncic: “I thought give the Celtics credit. They did a great job defending, making it tough on us. We had some good looks that didn’t go down. We’ve got to move the ball. The ball just stuck too much. And we’ll be better in Game 2.”

On Kyrie Irving’s night: “Yeah, I thought he had great looks that just didn’t go down. He had some great looks at three. He had some great looks in the paint. That’s just part of basketball. Sometimes they go in. Sometimes they don’t.

“Tonight, they just didn’t go down for Ky or most of the team, and hopefully we get those same shots in Game 2 and we can be better.”

On Kristap Porzingis’s impact: “Yeah, KP was great, he knocked down shots. He changed shots. He blocked shots. He gave them a spark when he came off the bench.

“We’ve just got to make it a little bit tougher on the offensive end. We’ve got to make him do something different. He got great looks and knocked them down.”

On the Mavs’ bigs struggling, and the Celtics’ shooting on the perimeter: “Yeah, I think this is the best team in the NBA and they are good for a reason. They play their style of basketball at a high rate. They generated 27 threes there in the first half, and made I think 11 of them.

“So we have to be better. We can’t give them seven made threes in the first quarter. That would have outscored us with only scoring 20.

“So we have to be better. Give them credit. They were good tonight. But again, we’ve got to be better. Nerves or not being in this situation, we can’t use that as an excuse. It’s just basketball, and we’ve got to be better at the game of basketball on Sunday.”

On the Celtics breaking the game open with a 29-point lead in the first half: “Yeah, I thought the group handled it well. At halftime, we talked about what we had to do, and I thought we did that coming out in the third. Again, cutting that lead, getting it to eight with the ball. Unfortunately, we traveled.

“And then from that point on, they took control of the game.

“But I thought the group responded. I thought we were better in the second half, and hopefully we can build on that third and fourth quarter going into Game 2.”

What Joe Mazzulla had to say after the game — 11:30 p.m.

The highlights from his postgame press conference ...

On why Porzingis didn’t start: “Yeah, just thought it gave us the best chance to win. He was great on both ends of the floor, defensive execution, game plan, playing for a spot in the offensive end, being physical, and making plays on both ends of the floor.

“So I thought he played great and that’s the KP that helped us get to where we are today.”

On the defensive pressure Tatum faced and how he dealt with it: “Yeah, just poise. They have a great defensive system, great defensive team, throw a bunch of stuff at you, different spacings, different coverages. The poise to just figure it out. Make the right play is going to be the most important thing. I thought he had that throughout the game.”

On the Celtics cutting down the Mavs with a 14-0 run: “Game management is going to be important. This is a great team. They have a tendency to go on great runs. That’s going to happen. You have to be able to manage those with poise and execution, know why those runs are being made, and quickly put a stop to them with high-level execution.

“So KP was a huge part of that, that run. But I liked the way we handled their run, because that’s going to happen. You’re not going to stop that. You just have to have the poise and the toughness to work through it and I thought our guys did that.”

On Jaylen Brown’s defense: “What you saw tonight is kind of the challenge he took for himself coming into the year. Not wanting to be defined by one thing. Wanting to make plays. Wanted to be a well-rounded player and get better and better. So his spacing, his ball movement, his defense on ball and off ball.

“Usually when you give up a run and your offense gets a little stagnant, your defense goes with it. Tonight our defense kept us in it and that’s really important, to have that defensive mindset. Some of those plays that Jaylen made were a part of that.”

Q. Back to the timeout. What did you say, what did you see when they came off the court? Can you sort of take us back to that?

JOE MAZZULLA: The one when they cut it to eight? Yeah, listen, it’s the NBA Finals, you’re playing against a great team and they’re going to make runs. Just building on awareness to why the run was made and, you know, that team does a great job of making defensive adjustments on the fly and sometimes it takes us a possession or two to recognize that.

So just understanding the run, what could we do to change it, and how can we get better coming out of that. So I thought the guys’ poise out of that timeout was big and that’s going to happen. They’re going to go on more runs and we’re going to have to fight through ‘em.

On Porzingis’s impact near the rim: “Yeah, listen, I know the story line has to be, what’s he going to look like because he was off for a month, but that’s what he’s been doing his whole career. He’s a great player. He’s been great for us. The reason why we are here is because of what he’s done. It doesn’t matter how long he takes off, the guy is going to make plays because of how talented he is and the work he puts in. What he did for us tonight was big and we need that for the rest of the series.”

On what he liked about the Celtics’ defense: “Just sticking with the game plan. Game plan execution’s very important. Having a clear understanding of what you have to take away on every possession, and just knowing that in order to defend these guys at a high level, you have to play efficient offense, and I thought we did that for the majority of the game, obviously, on the run. There weren’t many live ball turnovers and we missed some open shots. They forced us into a couple tough shots, but we were able to manage the transitions of the game with our offensive execution and our defensive game plan.”

Adam Himmelsbach | Instant Analysis

Celtics wasted no time taking control against the Mavericks, and other observations — 11:15 p.m.

The Celtics stormed through a 64-win regular season, opened the playoffs by going 12-2, and reacted to their own dominance with a shrug. This team has been building toward this moment, these NBA Finals, for months, and on Thursday, the final step finally arrived.

Kristaps Porzingis returned from a five-week absence because of a calf strain and ignited the Celtics during a powerful first half. Then, after the Mavericks whittled Boston’s 29-point lead to 8 in the third quarter, Jaylen Brown was at the heart of a 14-0 run that was all the Celtics needed, as they rolled to a 107-89 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 will be played at TD Garden on Sunday night.

Brown had 22 points to lead the Celtics and Porzingis added 20 in just 21 minutes. Luka Doncic had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, but he was limited to 1 assist, a season and career playoff low. Kyrie Irving mustered just 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

A 3-pointer by Doncic with 4:28 left in the third quarter pulled the Mavericks within 72-64, and inside this building that had been shaking for most of the night, things suddenly felt uneasy.

But these Celtics have done an admirable job all season of steadying themselves when that is what is needed. In this case, they regained control with the 14-0 run that included three 3-pointers. Brown was in control at both ends of the floor during the flurry, including a massive block of Irving at the rim. Dallas could never recover from Boston’s counterpunch.

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Column by Dan Shaughnessy

It’s not over yet, but Porzingis sure made it feel so — 11:05 p.m.

At this moment, I am contractually obligated to remind everyone that the 1985 defending world champion Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 148-114, at home in Game 1 of the NBA Finals . . . then lost the series in six.

So calm down, everybody.

It’s not over yet.

But it sure felt that way Thursday when Kristaps Porzingis came off the bench, playing his first game since April 29 (calf strain) and scored 18 first-half points as Boston raced to a 29-point second-quarter lead in an eventual 107-89 Game 1 Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

On this night the Celtics were every bit the team that dominated the NBA with 64 regular-season wins and one of the top-five point differentials in league history. Playing a team that has all of its best players (unlike Rounds 1, 2, and 3 against the Heat, Cavs, and Pacers), the Joe Mazzulla All-Stars blasted the visitors out of the Causeway St. gym.

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Celtics win — 10:51 p.m.

Follow along live with reaction and analysis from postgame.

Starters step out — 10:45 p.m.

Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jaylen Brown head to the bench. We’ve got just under three minutes to play. — McInerney

Celtics 100, Mavericks 75 — 10:40 p.m.

Celtics 100, Mavericks 75 | 4:58, fourth quarter

Joe Mazzulla uses a timeout with the Celtics leading, 100-75, and you wonder if Jason Kidd might be punting on this one and saving his starters for Game 2. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both on the bench. — Touri

A rough night for anyone not named Luka — 10:35 p.m.

For those keeping score at home, Mavericks not named Luka Doncic are shooting 16 of 40 (40 percent, bad) from the field and 1 of 10 (10 percent ... very, very bad) from 3-point range. A pretty rough showing for the Mavericks’ supporting cast. — Touri

Celtics 92, Mavericks 71 — 10:30 p.m.

The Celtics fell asleep on an inbounds play, leaving PJ Washington wide open in the corner, and Al Horford was hopping (literally) mad on the sideline.

Fortunately for Boston, it rimmed out — a Derrick White transition layup draws another timeout from Jason Kidd, whose Mavericks have just under nine minutes to find some life in Game 1. The Celtics lead, 92-71, with 8:34 to play here at TD Garden. — Touri

Celtics up, 86-66, entering fourth quarter — 10:20 p.m.

Jaylen Brown demolishes a Kyrie Irving floater, the Garden of course, loves it, and Brown hypes up the crowd. A “Kyrie Sucks” chant ensues. Nature is healing.

After a very rough start to the half, Celtics finish the third quarter on a 14-2 run to restore a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter here at TD Garden. Luka Doncic is up to 27 points and 10 rebounds (game highs for both), Kristaps Porzingis has 20 points to lead the Celtics, and Jaylen Brown has 19 along with three blocks. Celtics 86, Mavericks 66 after three. — Touri

Heck of an answer by the Celtics after the Mavs cut the lead to 72-64 — and made it very murmur-y in here — with 4:28 left. Celtics ripped off 14 straight points until Daniel Gafford’s free throws with 14.1 seconds left in the quarter. It’s no longer murmur-y. — Finn

Celtics 80, Mavericks 64 — 10:15 p.m.

Jaylen Brown meets Tim Hardaway Jr. — who we’d seen none of tonight, interestingly — at the rim for a huge block, and Jayson Tatum knocks down a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to force a Dallas timeout with the lead back to 16. Celtics have regained some momentum as they lead, 80-64, with 1:51 to play in the third quarter. — Touri

Jrue Holiday has modest stats tonight (7 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), but he has been tremendous in making the extra pass to get a teammate an open look. He just swung the ball to Tatum for a big 3 to make it 80-64. — Finn

Some stumbles early in the third — 10:06 p.m.

Celtics 72, Mavericks 64 | 4:27, third quarter

Celtics are 1 of 5 from 3 to start the third. — Finn

My favorite thing about Luka Doncic is you’ll be thinking he’s having a rough game and you look up and he’s got 27 points and 8 rebounds halfway through the third quarter.

Celtics offense has ground to a halt in the second half, with just 9 points through the first seven-plus minutes, and a Luka Doncic 3-pointer suddenly cuts the gap to just 8 points. We’ve got a ballgame: Celtics 72, Mavericks 64 with 4:27 to play in the third quarter. — Touri

The Celtics shot 54.6 percent in the first half (24 of 44) and 40.7 percent from 3 (11 of 27). In the third quarter, they’re 2 of 10 and 1 of 7, and what once was a 29-point lead is down to 8. Gulp. — Finn

Celtics 68, Mavericks 52 — 10:00 p.m.

Celtics 68, Mavericks 52 | 7:43, third quarter

Four minutes into the third, the teams have combined for 12 points in the quarter. Celtics shot selection hasn’t been great. — Finn

Slow start to the half for the Celtics, with Joe Mazzulla calling an early timeout after the Mavericks cut the gap to 16 points on back-to-back layups. Just 5 points in the first 4 minutes, 17 seconds of the half for Boston. The Celtics lead, 68-52, with 7:43 to go in the third. — Touri

Adam Himmelsbach’s first-half takeaways — 9:55 p.m.

By Adam Himmelsbach

▪ Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla kept his starting lineup decisions under wraps during his pregame press conference, but it was later revealed that Porzingis would come off the bench, with Al Horford remaining in the starting lineup. The choice made sense. Porzingis had not played since April 29, and there was no point risking a rusty start to open the NBA Finals. Also, this starting group with Horford at center has been excellent during these playoffs.

▪ Porzingis checked in with 7:17 left in the opening quarter and Doncic quickly tested him on defense before scoring inside. But Porzingis dominated the rest of the quarter in every way.

He found a bit of a rhythm by drawing a foul after posting up Doncic and hitting both free throws. Doncic is a rare guard with the size to at least challenge Porzingis, but the big man had no trouble moments later against the smaller Josh Green, igniting a stretch in which he scored eight straight Celtics points, the final two coming on a powerful drive and dunk.

But Porzingis’s greatest impact in this series could ultimately come at the defensive end. The Mavericks have pummeled opponents with lobs this postseason and Porzingis was an obvious deterrent in that area Thursday. In the first quarter he also held up in space and disturbed Irving on one play before blocking a fast-break dunk attempt by Green. The Celtics led by 1 when Porzingis checked in, and at the end of his seven-minute first-quarter stint they were up 17. It was a perfect stretch.

Porzingis continued his surge in the second quarter, when he found more success with post-ups and calmly drained a deep catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, giving him a game-high 18 points at halftime despite playing just 13 minutes.

Everything seems better when shots go in, but it was most encouraging to see Porzingis moving so well and without fear.

▪ The Celtics had a few signs of jitters early. On one possession in the opening minutes, they missed five consecutive 3-pointers on one-trip down the court. Several were wide open, and several missed badly. But the fact that they chased down so many offensive rebounds was a good sign that they were fully engaged.

▪ Kyrie Irving was booed during pregame introductions and whenever he touched the ball, but they could best be described as half-hearted jeers rather than the vitriolic ones we’ve seen in the past. One constant in the first half was that Irving continued to have a tough time against his former team. He missed several of his swirling attempts close to the rim and wasn’t really impactful as a distributor, either. On one miscommunication midway through the second quarter he fired a pass that sailed past his teammate and bounced out of bounds. The Mavericks will obviously need more.

▪ So, is Sam Hauser back? The Celtics forward was one of the NBA’s most consistent and accurate sharpshooters during the regular season but has struggled during these playoffs, particularly during the conference finals, when he was just 1 for 14 from beyond the arc. But he needed just a few minutes in this series to top that mark. He hit one attempt from the right arc before drilling a pretty catch-and-shoot from the left corner on which the ball never dipped below his head. He also had some excellent defensive moments in the first half, offering solid resistance against Doncic and others.

Hauser was one of the Celtics’ first subs Thursday, and the fact that they launched 27 first-half 3-pointers gives a good hint about Mazzulla’s thought process. The Mavericks don’t have a ton of speed and the Celtics were able to stay a step ahead with quick and precise passes.

▪ It might be nitpicking, but the end of the second quarter was not great for the Celtics. Brown missed a pair of free-throws, and after Doncic hit a jumper Tatum missed a contested 3-pointer to end an uncomfortable possession for the Celtics. Doncic then slid in a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left, but the Celtics’ last possession ended with another forced 3 by Tatum that missed. Dallas trailed by as many as 29 points but pulled within 63-42 at the break.

Second half underway — 9:50 p.m.

The Mavs did score the final 7 points of the first half to cut the deficit to 21. Celtics lost a little focus — Tatum took two tough step-back 3s (that should be the last resort in his repertoire) and Brown missed a pair of free throws. And that does it for this edition of Nitpick Corner. — Finn

We’re underway for the second half, with the Celtics holding a 21-point lead. Al Horford starts the second half, with Kristaps Porzingis again set to come off the bench. —Touri

At the half: Celtics 63, Mavericks 42 — 9:35 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Takeaways from the first half:

• An unbelievable first half from the Celtics, who trailed 15-14 midway through the first before outscoring Dallas 49-27 the rest of the way.
• A perfect return from Kristaps Porzingis, who poured in 18 first-half points on 7 of 9 shooting and was just draining heat check triples and midrange jumpers at one point. Add in a pair of huge blocks, and he had the TD Garden crowd electrified.
• The Mavericks leaned heavily on Luka Doncic pick-and-rolls in the first half, putting Al Horford or Porzingis in every action they could. The Celtics responded with every look imaginable — switching, blitzing, dropping — and largely limited the Mavericks’ superstar guard, who has 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist at halftime (that qualifies as limiting Luka Doncic, believe it or not). It helped that multiple Mavericks missed wide open looks from Doncic kick-outs.
• Dallas is intent on forcing Jaylen Brown left, and he doesn’t seem to mind, with 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting. Jayson Tatum, meanwhile, has been pretty quiet, with just 8 points on six shots. A huge dunk late in the half was a big boost.
• Some decent early run for Sam Hauser, who hit both 3-pointers he took and held his own defensively as the Mavericks hunted him for switches. Exactly what Boston is looking to get out of him off the bench.

Celtics 58, Mavericks 31 — 9:23 p.m.

Celtics 58, Mavericks 31 | 3:33, second quarter

A sweet no-look pass to Jrue Holiday to Derrick White for a dunk. Celtics are rolling. — Thompson

This is going exceedingly not well for the Mavericks, who are suddenly imploding in the second quarter with some awful turnovers, while the Celtics can’t miss. The lead has swelled to 27 points, and this one might be wrapped up before halftime. — Touri

And even up 27, Celtics fans still care enough to boo Kyrie. — Thompson

Zdeno Chara honored as tonight’s “Hero Among Us” — 9:20 p.m.

Former Bruin Zdeno Chara is being honored as tonight’s Hero Among Us here at the Garden.

Chara got a big cheer as he was introduced at center court while wearing a Porzingis jersey.

Chara, 47, was honored for his work raising money for disabled youth as part of the Team Hoyt Foundation. Chara is embarking to run all six of the World Marathon Majors, fundraising along the way. He finished the Boston Marathon this spring for the second year in a row.

Celtics 48, Mavericks 27 — 9:16 p.m.

Celtics 48, Mavericks 27 | 6:29, second quarter

I think Kristaps Porzingis is back. Consecutive midrange buckets, and he leads all scorers with 15 points — plus a couple of emphatic blocks — as Boston’s lead balloons to 21. Celtics 48, Mavericks 27, with 6:29 to play in the second quarter. — Touri

Watch this — 9:11 p.m.

When Porzingis checked in at 7:17 of the first, the Celtics led 12-11. They went on a 25-9 run after that, with KP scoring 11 of those points. — Finn

A monster jam from Jaylen Brown, who splits the double team and throws one down over Daniel Gafford. Highlight of the night so far. — Touri

Celtics make history — 9:08 p.m.

Courtesy of our own Stat Masterson, Alex Speier: That 17-point Celtics lead marks the largest first-quarter point differential ever in Game 1 of an NBA Finals.

End of first quarter: Celtics 37, Mavericks 20 — 9:04 p.m.

Holy smokes what an absolute heat check of a 3 from Porzingis. — Thompson

This building is rocking. Tatum drills a pull-up 3-pointer, Porzingis follows up with a triple of his own, then a huge block on the other end, which is immediately followed up by a fading 3-pointer in the corner from Sam Hauser that might’ve registered on the Richter scale. The Celtics lead, 37-20, after a 23-5 run to close the quarter. — Touri

Looking forward to Kendrick Perkins saying tomorrow that KP is better than Jokic, Giannis, and Doncic combined. (Who’s to argue?)

Tatum and Brown were a combined 2 of 5 in the first quarter and the Celtics lead by 17. We all saw that coming. — Finn

A sharp start for Porzingis in his return — 8:58 p.m.

Celtics 28, Mavericks 18 | 2:20, first quarter

Porzingis got a touch just outside of the paint with Doncic guarding him. Safe to say the crowd was excited to see that one. Porzingis tried a fadeaway jumper, but got fouled. — Thompson

What a sequence for Kristaps Porzingis, who turns the corner on Dereck Lively and throws down a huge dunk, then immediately rejects Jaden Hardy on the other end. The Celtics go straight back to the big man, who hits a midrange jumper and Jason Kidd needs a timeout. Celtics lead, 28-18, with 2:20 to play.

The Celtics are on a 14-3 run. — Touri

Mavericks fans probably still don’t like Porzingis very much right now. — Finn

Mavericks 13, Celtics 12 — 8:48 p.m.

Mavericks 13, Celtics 12 | 6:58, first quarter

Celtics have started just 2 of 7 from 3. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown are both 0 for 2. The Mavericks are defending Brown like the Warriors did in the Finals two years ago. Basically daring him to go left. — Finn

Another huge ovation as Kristaps Porzingis checks in with just under eight minutes to go. Few surprises so far as the Celtics open the game with Jaylen Brown guarding Luka Doncic, and the Mavericks immediately put Al Horford in the pick-and-roll every time down. Horford has held his own, as Doncic missed a stepback 3-pointer over the big man early on. Dallas leads, 13-12, with 6:58 to play in the first quarter. — Touri

And we’re off — 8:39 p.m.

About everyone in the crowd sang the final words of “Shipping up to Boston,” the Celtics’ tip-off song at every home game. — McInerney

Al Horford wins the tip and we’re underway for Game 1. Celtics in their classic home whites, Dallas in alternate black threads. It is loud in here — Horford skies to the rim for a game-opening dunk, and it’s even louder. — Touri

Al Horford starting over Kristaps Porzingis — 8:35 p.m.

Al Horford, not Kristaps Porzingis, in the starting lineup. Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis won’t be on any sort of minutes restriction tonight, but it looks like the Celtics might be easing their returning big man in a little bit as he returns from a calf injury. — Touri

Late Bill Walton honored with moment of silence — 8:35 p.m.

Bill Walton, who won the 1986 NBA title as a member of the Celtics, was honored with his family in attendance on Thursday.

His wife, Lori, and sons Adam, Nathan, Luke, and Chris are in attendance.

Watch the Celtics’ tribute to Bill Walton here:

Meanwhile, in Chicago ... — 8:25 p.m.

The crowd goes wild for Kristaps — 8:20 p.m.

An absolutely massive roar for Kristaps Porzingis, who emerges from the tunnel several minutes after the rest of the Celtics — the TD Garden crowd cheered him all the way down the hallway and into the tunnel (with a live feed on the Jumbotron), going up another decibel level as he entered the floor.

Joe Mazzulla confirmed pregame that Porzingis won’t be on any minutes restriction tonight as the big man returns from a calf injury that has kept him out since Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs. — Touri

See tonight’s warm-ups honoring Bill Walton — 8:05 p.m.

Watch: Tom Brady narrates hype vid — 8:00 p.m.

By Sarah Barber

In case fans weren’t excited enough, the Celtics released a Finals hype video Wednesday night on X (formerly Twitter), narrated by someone very familiar with championships — Patriots legend Tom Brady.

The video opens with spliced clips with arenas chanting “We want Boston,” before Brady interjects “Really?” The “We want Boston” chant ties in well with the green and white fan shirts set to be distributed at Thursday’s game, which read “You Got Boston” in bold across the chest.

Clips from this year’s playoff run are overlaid with rapper Key Glock’s track “Let’s Go,” while Brady casually throws down a few chirps toward the Heat, Cavaliers, Knicks, and Pacers.

Celtics fans are seen shouting into the camera as Brady finishes off narration, telling the sports world that Boston is still here before directing his final line to the Mavericks:

“Right now, you’re gonna want anyone but Boston.”

Where do these Celtics stand among the greatest teams in history? — 7:45 p.m.

National NBA writer Gary Washburn, Celtics beat reporter Adam Himmelsbach, columnist Chad Finn, and columnist/commissioner emeritus Bob Ryan convened to write about and discuss what they consider the 19 best NBA teams of all time, what made them special, and where these Celtics might fit into that landscape.

The list includes six Celtics teams: 1962, ‘65, ‘74, ‘81, ‘86, and ‘08. All won the NBA championship.

To join them among the elite of the elite, these Celtics of course must become champions too.

Their entire season so far has been a flashing green signal that they not just can be champions, but ought to be.

Take a look at our data visualization here.

Adam Silver on Bill Walton — 7:30 p.m.

By Amin Touri

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is doing his annual press conference ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

He spoke at length about the late Bill Walton, who died last month.

“Of course Bill won two championships but also covered multiple NBA Finals for NBC and then ABC, he and his wife Lori often sat at these press conferences and I’m thrilled that Lori Walton is going to be at the game tonight and Bill’s four sons are going to be here,” Silver said. “The team was looking for a way to honor him tonight, and along with a pre-game moment, the guys are going to be wearing a special pre-game shooting shirt. "

“Bill was someone who became a very close friends over 30 years that I’ve been with the league ... He traveled with us everywhere we went. I remember the first time we played in China in 2004, being on the Great Wall with him, he was just such an adventurer. I can’t imagine a better ambassador for the NBA.”

Jason Kidd on the 2011 title, Al Horford, and his past self — 7:20 p.m.

By Amin Touri

Here are the highlights from Jason Kidd’s pregame press conference ...

On Luka and Kyrie:

“Well you’re talking about the second-best defense, we saw the best defense in Minnesota, now we’re going against the second-best, so understanding they have a lot of great defenders, one-on-one, so we expect that they’re going to continue to throw different bodies at Luka and Ky. Those are our quarterbacks ... we truly believe those guys will make the right decisions.”

On winning the 2011 title with the Mavericks:

“I haven’t really thought about that. 2011, at the end of that game, just understanding what, there’s no one else to play. We’re playing our best basketball, being rookies we didn’t really know how to celebrate winning a championship. But when you sit there and digest the situation, just winning a championship, it’s surreal. As a kid, it’s what you dream about, that’s all you’re working for. You want to be like Magic, you want to be like Mike, so to be able to do that in ‘11 is incredible, it’s something I’ll always treasure.”

On preparing his team for the bright stage of the NBA Finals:

“It’s not different than the Western Conference stage. It’s basketball; just a little more of [the media]. But to embrace it, as I said this morning, before we started talking about basketball, the guys that get most of the attention, share it with the younger guys so they know how to handle that. To understand, Ky and Luka, this is also a great time to share how to handle things with the younger players because a lot of them haven’t been in this situation. Luka’s been in this situation since he was born, Ky’s been in this situation a couple times. It’s basketball. Have fun and embrace it and enjoy it.”

On being a former star point guard coaching star point guards:

“I think, when you talk about Ky and Luka as our QBs, the respect we have for one another, understand that all three have played the same position — those two are a little more gifted than I am — the trust for one another; I’ve known Ky since I played in New Jersey. To see his journey, he’s a champion, he’s won, and now has us back into the Finals, the biggest stage, he’s always enjoyed this situation ... just to understand what he’s gone through, that you can grow from different situation and he’s really done that. He’s really embraced Dallas, and he’s playing his best basketball yet.”

On Al Horford:

“Yeah I think when you talk about Al’s journey, it’s been incredible, it seems like he’s getting younger. He’s been on great teams, he’s always been a great teammate, from what I’ve heard from afar. So just understanding his skillset, being able to guard everyone on the floor, as a teammate, being able to stretch the floor, shoot the 3. His longevity, he’s doing something right, in terms of what he’s eating and taking care of your body, but also mentally. It can become draining, it can become, ‘Maybe I want to get on with my life and do something different,’ but his goal is to win a championship, our goal is to delay that, but he’s one that’s going to have an impact in this series.”

On how they’ll defend the Celtics:

“They’ve seen every coverage just like Luka and Ky, we’ve got to be able to change it up, can’t be a steady diet of one thing. When you get multiple bodies on the ball, that’s when the 3 comes into play, so hopefully we can stay out of that situation.”

What would 21-year-old Jason Kidd say to 51-year-old Jason Kidd:

“I think when you talk about, at 21, you’re naive, you think you’re going to win championship because of [Jim Jackson] and [Jamal Mashburn], you got three babies, you got MJ and Malone and Stockton in the league. A 21-year-old would think you were crazy to get into coaching. But you have to keep working on your craft, trying to help some young men win a championship.”

All the celebs here in Boston for Game 1 — 7:10 p.m.

By Kevin Slane

A mix of former Boston Celtics, current New England Patriots, and more than one Wahlberg will be at TD Garden Thursday night to watch the Celtics take on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals.

Ahead of tip-off, which is set for 8:30 p.m., Celtics team reporter Taylor Snow posted a partial list of celebrities, athletes, and other notable figures who will be attending Game 1 of the Celtics-Mavericks series.

Donnie Wahlberg, a courtside fixture at Celtics games all season long, will be joined by wife Jenny McCarthy and brother Mark Wahlberg for Game 1.

A number of former Celtics, including Eddie House, Tacko Fall, Dana Barros, Jason Terry, and Kenny Anderson are also expected to be on hand.

Also on the guest list are Jeaninne Russell, wife of the late Celtics great Bill Russell, and family members of former Celtics center Bill Walton, who died on May 27 at the age of 71 after a long fight with cancer.

For soccer fans, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will go from pitchside at the Etihad to courtside at the Garden only a few weeks removed from winning City’s sixth Premier League title in seven seasons.

See the rest of the folks in attendance here.

Good news for KP — 6:55 p.m.

Joe Mazzulla confirmed ahead of tip-off Thursday that center Kristaps Porzingis is a full go for Game 1, with no minutes restrictions on the big man.

Porzingis hasn’t played since Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs against the Heat after straining his calf. He averaged 30.5 minutes through the first three games of the postseason before the injury. — Amin Touri

NBA Finals roundtable: Who has the coaching edge? — 6:45 p.m.

Ahead of the NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics, columnists and beat writers from The Dallas Morning News and The Boston Globe collaborated to answer some questions about this series, which starts Thursday at TD Garden.

They covered the biggest story lines, X-factors for the Mavericks, which team has the coaching edge, and more.

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Irving unconcerned about Garden reception — 6:30 p.m.

By Khari Thompson

At this point, Kyrie Irving has more than a decade of experience dealing with the TD Garden crowd.

He’s one of the few people on earth who knows what it’s like to be cheered as a marquee player for the Celtics and booed as a logo-stomping, sage-burning opponent.

On Wednesday, Irving talked about his experience with Boston fans and offered some advice to younger players who may find themselves in similar positions down the road.

“You just got to breathe through it,” Irving said. “To all my young’uns out there that are dealing with some of the crowd reactions, what they’re saying to you, you have to breathe, realize that is not as hostile as you think it is. Don’t overthink it.

“Been able to work through that and understand that some of that is anxiety, some of that is nervousness. It could all be turned into a strength.”

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Washburn: A huge opportunity for Tatum and Brown — 6:15 p.m.

By Gary Washburn

Jayson Tatum mimicked his shooting motion when asked whether he’s the most scrutinized NBA player during this postseason.

“You think so?” he asked, smiling as he simulated jump shot.

Tatum can be polite but robotic with the media, but this wasn’t one of those times. He approached his NBA Finals media day session with a bright smile, seemingly prepared for another shot at the biggest stage and fully comprehending the narrative that he’s been less than stellar during this postseason run.

Yes, Tatum has been the most criticized All-NBA first team player who had led his team to the Finals, despite the team’s success, despite averaging 26 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists on 44 percent shooting, despite defending at the highest level of his career.

The pressure is on Tatum to prove he will be the best player during these Finals with the presence of the great Luka Doncic. There are considerable doubts about Tatum’s ability to carry a team as megastars do.

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Shaughnessy: Celtics in the Finals good for the NBA — 6:00 p.m.

By Dan Shaughnessy

With the Celtics tipping off Game 1 against the Mavericks Thursday night, we can look forward to a fortnight of fury featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown against Dallas superstars Luka Doncic and (gulp) Kyrie Irving.

Having the Celtics in the Finals is a great development for Boston and NBA America. The league is always well-served when its signature franchise is featured in its showcase event.

Like the New York Yankees, the Green Bay Packers, and the Montreal Canadiens, the Celtics are synonymous with their sport. In the second half of the 20th century, when the fledgling NBA was coming of age, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Red Auerbach put Boston’s parquet floor on the national sports map, winning 11 championships in 13 seasons.

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Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac. Khari Thompson can be reached at khari.thompson@globe.com. Chad Finn can be reached at chad.finn@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeChadFinn. Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.