"They got on they a** like diapers on a baby!" - Kendrick Perkins ecstatic with Boston Celtics' Game 1 victory, praises their 4th-quarter heroics and says "defense wins championships"
Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins was ecstatic after the Boston Celtics' 120-108 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Eastern Conference champions made their way back into the game by putting in a spirited display in the fourth quarter.
Perkins, who was an NBA champion with the Celtics, has been rooting for them since the start of the playoffs. He had high praise for Boston's defensive performance in the fourth quarter. They were down by 12 points at the end of the third quarter and needed something special to make their way back.
That is exactly what they did. The Boston Celtics scored 40 points and contained the Golden State Warriors to only 16 in the penultimate quarter.
Expressing his delight at the win, Kendrick Perkins posted a video message on Twitter, where he said:
"Celtics in 7, I told y'all they was getting Game 1. They got on their a** like diapers on the baby, okay. Took em home, took over the fourth quarter."
The Celtics defense got on their ass like diapers on a baby!!! Carry the hell on… https://t.co/PlGPWTifvc
The Boston Celtics' defense was always going to be a key factor heading into this series. Although they started on the backfoot, the Celtics once again showed their resilience, especially in the fourth quarter, to steal a win on the road.
Jayson Tatum had a poor night shooting the ball, but his teammates kept making timely buckets to keep Boston in the game.
The Celtics will have a mental advantage going into Game 2. However, they will also have to find a way to slow down Steph Curry, who seemed unstoppable in the first quarter of Game 1.
GAME WON ✅ https://t.co/K3m5cieEsH
Fourth-quarter brilliance helps the Boston Celtics secure a stunning win over Golden State Warriors
The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors have two of the best defensive units in the league. However, it was their offense that did well in the first half of Game 1.
Steph Curry was terrific as he scored 21 points in the first quarter alone. The points he scored in that period were the most for a player in the NBA Finals since Michael Jordan in 1993.
Steph just set an #NBAFinals record and we're only a quarter into the series 🤯 https://t.co/rkCbPf5SLh
The Celtics were letting him drain shots far too easily. He took advantage of all the room they gave him and helped the Warriors gain momentum. Despite his brilliance, Golden State never had a significant lead as Boston kept scoring to stay in the game.
Curry was not as effective in the second quarter. The Boston Celtics went on a bit of a scoring run towards the end of the first half. This helped them bag a six-point lead heading into halftime.
However, as the third quarter approached, the Golden State Warriors began their usual display of brilliance.
GOT IT 🚨 https://t.co/hsq8biFLbX
Andrew Wiggins, Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr. showed up in the third quarter. Steph Curry also chipped in with a few buckets, helping the Warriors to a 15-point lead at one point.
It looked like Golden State was running away with the game, but Boston did not give up that easily.
Steve Kerr decided to rest Curry at the start of the fourth quarter as the Golden State Warriors usually do. However, the Boston Celtics took advantage of his absence and went on a scoring run of their own.
Although Curry came back around the nine-minute mark, the Celtics continued to inflict damage on their opponents.
Derrick is DIALED IN https://t.co/95uaVpm0gq
Al Horford, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown proved to be the game-changers for the Eastern Conference champions.
In the end, the Boston Celtics were able to bag a 120-108 win on the night and take a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals.