Dallas Mavericks v Boston Celtics: NBA finals Game 1 – live | NBA finals

Boston (aka Scranton with clams) was never going to draw the Hollywood glitterati for tonight’s contest. According to the NBA’s list of celebs in attendance, 66.7% of the actors in the building are Wahlbergs. But at least two dozen sports luminaries are in the building, including Manchester City gaffer Pep Guardiola, UFC president-cum-Trump surrogate Dana White and apparently one-third of the Philadelphia Eagles’ active roster?

Half-time: Mavericks 42-63 Celtics

Mavericks 33-58 Celtics; 4.11, second quarter

Dončić, who’s on a quiet eight points on 3-for-9 from the floor, gets going a little with back-to-back twos. That prompts a quick timeout from Joe Mazzulla with the Boston lead down to 25. Better safe than sorry.

Mavericks 29-58 Celtics; 4.11, second quarter

Jones makes a driving floater, by Brown responds with five quick points on a 23-footer followed by a steal-and-dunk. The lead is 24 and the crowd is rollicking, breaking into deafening chants of “Let’s go Cel-tics!” on the ensuing possession. White makes a two-footer, then Tatum follows with a 27-footer that stretches the lead to 58-29. They’re doubling Dallas up! The Mavericks have become completely unglued. Stop the fight!

Mavericks 27-48 Celtics; 6.29, second quarter

After Dončić splits a pair of free throws, Porzingis drains a 15-footer. Luka misses a step-back three on the other end and Porzingis follows with another 18-foot jumper. He’s locked in! Play breaks for a TV timeout and the 7ft 3in Latvian retreats to the bench with a wide grin plastered across his face. And who could blame him after this dream start to his NBA finals debut. He’s got 15 points so far, outscoring Luka and Kyrie (14 points combined) at the three-eighths pole of Game 1.

Mavericks 26-44 Celtics; 10.07, second quarter

Irving stops the bleeding with a quick two, but Brown answers on the other end. Gafford scores on a nifty hook shot off a Dončić assist, but Hauser gets the crowd going again with threeball. A pair of Washington free throws is followed by a massive Brown poster dunk that stretches the Boston lead to 18 points.

End of first quarter: Mavericks 20-37 Celtics

Mavericks 18-28 Celtics; 2.20, first quarter

Dončić nails a 26-footer to close the gap. Dallas will need more of that, but Porzingis answers with a mid-range jumper. Washington misses a shot on the next trip down, then commits his second personal foul, a very pointless one more than 30 feet from the hoop. After a couple of misses both ways Porzingis rises to the goal for an easy dunk, then makes a 16-footer on the next possession to open a double-digit lead for the Celtics. That’s eight points in five minutes for the Latvian colossus, who hasn’t missed a beat.

Mavericks 15-22 Celtics; 5.24, first quarter

Brown cans a pair of free throws to put Boston back ahead, but Dončić answers with a driving lay-up with Celtics all over him, appealing to the referees over the no-call. The Mavericks have made seven of their first 10 shots from the floor but only lead by one. From there White makes back-to-back three-pointers. Then Porzingis draws a shooting foul on Dončić and makes both freebies to open a seven-point lead.

Mavericks 13-12 Celtics; 6.58, first quarter

Kyrie Irving gets into the book by draining a 13-foot jumper. After Brown loose ball foul, Porzingis enters the game for Al Horford to roars from the crowd. It’s the big man’s first action in 38 days following a calf strain that’s sidelined him for 10 games. The Mavericks sub in Lively for Gifford. After play resumes, Irving cans a 16-footer off a Lively assist. Dallas are back in front by a point as the action pauses for a TV timeout.

Mavericks 9-12 Celtics; 8.15, first quarter

The Celtics win the tip and we’re off! A blistering 4-for-4 start both ways as Al Horford, Derrick Jones Jr, Jrue Holiday and Luka Dončić trade baskets. Boston grab three offensive rebounds on the next trip down but can’t convert on their four chances. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington then score on back-to-back possessions to open a 9-5 edge, but the 38-year-old Horford drains a three to ignite the crowd. Brown and Holiday score baskets to extend a seven-point run.

The Celtics paid tribute to Bill Walton before the national anthem. They also wore shirts in the Hall of Famer’s honor during their shootaround. The two-time NBA champion died of cancer last month at the age of 71.

Updated starters

Here’s a number you’ll likely hear if you catch any of tonight’s telecast: 70.1. Specifically, the team that wins Game 1 of the NBA finals has gone on to win the championship 70.1% of the time (or 54 times out of 77). Sure, that’s not always the case, but history shows that drawing first blood is important.

Some other historical scenarios:

Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA finals at home go on to win the series 78.0% of the time (46-13)

Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA finals on the road go on to win the series 44.4% of the time (8-10)

Teams that win the first two games of the NBA finals go on to win the series 86.1% of the time (31-5)

Teams that win the first two games of the NBA finals at home go on to win the series 84.4% of the time (27-5)

Teams that win the first two games of the NBA finals on the road go on to win the series 100% of the time (2-0)

Teams that win Game 3 of a 1-1 NBA finals go on to win the series 80.5% of the time (33-8)

Teams that lead the NBA finals 2-1 go on to win the series 79.4% of the time (50-13)

Teams that win the first three games of the NBA finals go on to win the series 100% of the time (14-0)

Teams that lead the NBA finals 3-1 go on to win the series 97.3% of the time (36-1)

Teams that win Game 5 of a 2-2 NBA finals go on to win the series 74.2% of the time (23-8)

Teams that lead the NBA finals 3-2 go on to win the series 81.6% of the time (40-9)

Probable starters

Preamble

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at how the Guardian’s writers see the NBA finals playing out.