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Celtics' Resiliency on Display in Fourth Quarter of Game 1 of NBA Finals: 'We're battle-tested; we've been through a lot'
The Warriors are known for their third-quarter runs, coming out of halftime with energy and assertiveness that was on display in Game 1 as Golden State built off a 12-4 start to the frame, taking a 92-80 advantage into the last 12 minutes.
But that's when the Celtics didn't just deliver a counterpunch; they landed a haymaker. With the moment calling for urgency, Jaylen Brown led Boston on a 7-0 run that cut the Warriors lead to 92-87.
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It turned into a tidal wave the home crowd's accustomed to seeing from the Splash Brothers as the Celtics generated 40 points while holding Golden State to 16 in the final frame.
After his team's 120-108 win, Jayson Tatum, who, on a night where he scored 12 points, made his mark on Game 1 of the NBA Finals with his facilitating, dishing out a game-high 13 assists, discussed what the message was entering the fourth quarter.
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"The message to start the fourth was just, 'we've been here before.' We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that. Obviously, that's a great team. It's not going to be easy, but knowing that we've been in that situation before and we've gotten ourselves out of it. And we had a lot of time left. It wasn't time to hang your head or be down; it was time to figure it out."
Ime Udoka expressed the following about the mentality the Celtics showed in the final 12 minutes: "That's kind of who we've been all year. Tough grinders, a resilient group. We always know we can rely on our defense to buckle down when needed."
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Trailing by double digits entering the fourth quarter, against a Warriors team generating the most points per game in the playoffs and undefeated at home this postseason, it was required.
Marcus Smart, who had 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals in Game 1, said this fourth-quarter comeback "says what we've been doing all year. We've been counted out all year. But we continue to fight, and that's who we are."
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When asked where this team's resiliency comes from, Brown, who scored 24 points, including ten in the final frame, replied: "Just the guys in that locker room. We're battle-tested; we've been through a lot. A lot of experiences, a lot of losses. We know what it takes to win."
Tatum finding other ways than scoring to sway the outcome in Boston's favor is one of the many examples of the Celtics figuring out what was required to emerge victorious after Game 1.
"We're in the championship," said Tatum. We're in the Finals. All I was worried about was trying to get a win."
That's also a point of pride for his head coach, who labeled this win a "confidence builder." When asked how rewarding it is to win without needing their best player to score 40 points, Udoka conveyed the following.
"For two reasons. We do look at ourselves as a complete unit, as a team," going on to say, "we pride ourselves on everybody being able to contribute on both ends, so that's rewarding."
Further Reading
What Stood Out in Game 1 of the NBA Finals: Celtics' Take Series Opener with Fourth-Quarter Haymaker
Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND
From Outside the Play-In Tournament to the NBA Finals, Celtics Discuss Their Season Turnaround
