In Thursday’s NBA Finals Game 1, Stephen Curry was on pace to deliver one of his epic performances that usually leads to a Warriors victory. The Golden State star, who finished with 32 points, scored 21 in the first quarter against the Celtics before going scoreless in the second period.
However, Boston led 56–54 at halftime as the Celtics made timely defensive adjustments to slow down Golden State. Curry continued his prolific performance through the second half but Boston caught fire at the start of the fourth quarter.
After trailing by 12, the Celtics responded in the first four minutes and trailed the Warriors 94–92 with eight minutes to play. Former Warriors star and current Nets forward Kevin Durant chimed in on the back-and-forth action before the change of tide inside the Chase Center favored Boston.
“High level of basketball being displayed gentlemen,” Durant tweeted.
Durant, who won two championships with Golden State, was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Celtics.
Shortly after Durant’s reaction, Boston’s remarkable comeback continued. After Derrick White hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 103, the Celtics’ massive surge pushed them ahead. Boston outscored Golden State 40–13 in the fourth to secure a 120–108 victory.
While a ton of discussion leading up to the start of this year’s Finals centered around Durant’s impact on the Warriors’ previous championships (and Curry’s lack of a Finals MVP), this series will provide even more fuel to the fire. But for now, like many of us, Durant is just enjoying the basketball.
