Dallas vs Boston Game 1: A Tale of Two Halves

In a game that seemed to have two distinct halves, the Dallas Mavericks ultimately prevailed over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

The first half was all about the Celtics. They dominated the boards, shot lights-out from beyond the arc, and held a comfortable double-digit lead for most of the period.

But the Mavericks came out firing in the second half. They tightened up their defense, started hitting shots, and slowly but surely chipped away at Boston's lead. With under five minutes to go, the Mavs finally took the lead for good, and they held on for a 112-109 victory.

The Story of Two Halves

The Celtics opened the game on fire, hitting their first six shots from the field. They were also dominating the boards, outrebounding the Mavericks 24-12 in the first half.

The Mavericks, on the other hand, looked a bit out of sorts. They were missing shots, turning the ball over, and getting killed on the boards. As a result, the Celtics took a 61-47 lead into the break.

But the Mavericks came out a different team in the second half. They tightened up their defense, started hitting shots, and slowly but surely chipped away at Boston's lead.

With under five minutes to go, the Mavs finally took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Luka Dončić. The Celtics had a chance to tie it up with a few seconds left, but Jayson Tatum's three-point attempt bounced off the rim.

The Mavs' Comeback

The Mavericks' comeback was sparked by a number of factors. First, they started hitting shots. In the first half, they shot just 38% from the field. In the second half, they shot 53%.

Second, they tightened up their defense. In the first half, the Celtics were able to get whatever they wanted offensively. In the second half, the Mavericks made it much more difficult for them to score.

And finally, the Mavericks got a big boost from their bench. In the first half, the Celtics' bench outscored the Mavericks' bench 31-12. In the second half, the Mavericks' bench outscored the Celtics' bench 30-15.

The Celtics' Struggles

The Celtics looked like a completely different team in the second half than they did in the first half. They shot just 35% from the field in the second half, and they were outrebounded by the Mavericks 24-16.

The Celtics also had a number of uncharacteristic turnovers in the second half. They turned the ball over just six times in the first half, but they turned it over seven times in the second half.

The Bottom Line

The Mavericks' victory in Game 1 was a tale of two halves. The Celtics dominated the first half, but the Mavericks came out firing in the second half and ultimately prevailed.

The series is now tied 1-1, and the Celtics will host Game 3 on Saturday night.