3 Biggest Takeaways From Game 1 of the NBA Finals

Boston rolled to a double-digit victory over the Mavericks at TD Garden on Thursday night, and are three wins away from an NBA Championship.

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks against Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) and forward Maxi Kleber (42) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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3. The Disappearance of Kyrie Irving

Irving didn't seem to be booed as roundly as he typically is when he returns to the building where he spent a disastrous two years as a member of the Celtics. He didn't seem fazed by the crowd, or overwhelmed by the moment.

He just seemed...off.

Irving had a forgettable night in his first NBA Finals game since 2017. In 36 minutes, he scored just 12 points on 6-19 shooting (.316) and went 0-5 from behind the three-point line. He also committed three turnovers, including a traveling violation and a rare ball handling gaffe where he dribbled the rock off of his foot.

Most of all, there was no real fire from Kyrie. He didn't seem engaged with the crowd (possibly a good thing) or his opponents. That's true for a lot of players in this opening game. There was not a lot of physicality and long stretches of play felt like you were watching a pickup game. The fourth quarter was almost entirely a useless exercise.

But the Mavs need Kyrie to be a lot more of an assassin if they are going to do what the Heat and Cavaliers have already done in Boston this postseason - win Game 2 and go home to begin a best-of-five.

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