Celtics have huge fourth quarter in Game 1 win over Warriors in 2022 NBA Finals

Al Horford (Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons)

The Boston Celtics have won the opening game of the 2022 National Basketball Association Finals. On Thursday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, the Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors 120-108 in game one of the best out of seven series.

The two primary reasons for the Celtics win were excellent three-point shooting and a marvelous fourth quarter. Celtics power forward Al Horford made a career-high six three pointers (regular season or playoffs), and led Boston with 26 points. In the fourth quarter, Boston clobbered Golden State 40-16, and in the process scored 17 consecutive points.

It was a record-breaking night when it came to three-point shots made. The Celtics and Warriors combined for 40 three-point shots made, the most ever by both teams in a single game in NBA Finals history. The Celtics made 21 shots from downtown, while the Warriors made 19 shots from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry, who has the NBA record for the most three-point shots made all-time in the regular season with 3117, set the NBA record for most three-point shots made in the first quarter in the NBA Finals with six.

Five Celtics reached double digits in points. Jaylen Brown had 24 points, Derrick White had 21 points, Marcus Smart had 18 points, while Jayson Tatum had 12 points. Even though Tatum only made three of 17 field goals, he made a significant contribution in dishing out the basketball for Boston. He had a career-high 13 assists (regular season or playoffs) in picking up the double-double. White meanwhile recorded his 21 points coming off the bench.

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