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Celtics shock Warriors with huge fourth quarter to win Game 1
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) celebrates with forward Al Horford (42) after defeating the Golden State Warriors in game one of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics shock Warriors with huge fourth quarter to win Game 1 of NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics trailed by double-digits at the start of the fourth quarter, but blew the Golden State Warriors out in the final 12 minutes to win 120-108 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The late surge for Boston came from an unlikely source, as Al Horford led the way down the stretch. The Celtics outscored the Warriors, 40-16, in the fourth quarter with Horford scoring 11 points in the last 5:10 of the game.

Horford, 35, finished his first career NBA Finals game with 26 points, three assists, six rebounds, and a career-best six three-pointers.

Golden State didn't score its first points of the fourth quarter until an Andre Iguodala dunk with 8:44 left. Later in the quarter, the Warriors had a four-minute, 56-second span without a point scored. During the latter scoring drought, the Celtics went on a 17-0 run to turn a three-point deficit into a game-sealing 14-point lead. Only one team in the last 50 years has gone on a longer scoring run in the fourth quarter.

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry started the game with a record-breaking first quarter when he nailed six three-pointers in the first 12 minutes. While Curry led all scorers with 34 points on the night, he made only one three in the last three quarters and finished 12-of-25 from the field.

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