Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks wasn’t short on drama. But several fans online felt like the atmosphere Thursday at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. was lacking one specific thing.
The Celtics crushed the Mavericks in a 107-89 affair to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
One viral post on X reminded fans that the playing court no longer featured the Larry O’Brien Trophy around the home team’s logo. Having the trophy at center court was once an iconic part of the NBA’s championship series.
“Larry O’Brien at half court used to give the Finals a different aura,” the post’s caption read.
Larry O’Brien at half court used to give the Finals a different aura pic.twitter.com/GymW1Mu8k4
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 7, 2024
Several fans expressed a similar opinion on missing the trophy design.
Why did we stop with the trophy at mid court for the NBA Finals ?? @sportslogosnet pic.twitter.com/5iVzFGm8MW
— Antonio Gismundi (@tonyNObologna_) June 7, 2024
I can promise you right now the aura would be through the roof if the NBA realized one small change for the #NBA Finals. Literally put the trophy front and center again. pic.twitter.com/zZFGDFurp7
— saint anthony (@Anthmoceri) June 7, 2024
They need to bring back the old NBA Finals courts with the trophy logo at center court pic.twitter.com/yYXUZIvt1f
— Sabremetrix📊 (@Sabremetrix) June 7, 2024
The Celtics fans in attendance didn’t let the lack of an old school Finals logo deter them from cheering their squad on. The atmosphere at TD Garden was electric throughout the one-sided affair in favor of Boston.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic led all scorers with 30 points and 10 rebounds on 12/26 shooting. However, Doncic finished with just one assist and was noticeably battling through injury in the contest (video here).
Doncic’s former Mavericks teammate Kristaps Porzingis was arguably the Celtics’ best player in Game 1. Porzingis, who had missed the last two playoff rounds with a calf issue, emphatically shut down any injury concerns with a 20-point, 3-block performance off the bench.
