SAN FRANCISCO — Epic fail.
Up 15 late in the third quarter, and playing in front of a raucous Chase Center home crowd, the Golden State Warriors helplessly watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals slip away, bowing to the Boston Celtic, 120-108.
Down 92-80 entering the fourth period, the Celtics, riding the wave of Al Horford’s 26-point explosion, went on a 40-16 run that turned the tables on the heavily favored Warriors.
Horford, a 15-year veteran, scored eight straight points that broke a 103-103 tie and turning it into a 111-103 cushion for Boston with 3:40 to go.
And that was all she wrote.
“I felt like the guys kept findinf me time after time. Also, Derrick White hit some rough shots there, too. I was just getting the looks, knocking them down. That’s that,” said the 36-year old cebter-forward.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum struggled with just 17 points on 3-of-17 shooting, but his teammates picked up the slack.
Jaylen Brown finished with 24 points. Derrick White had 21. And Marcus white added 18 and five assists for the Celtics, who shot 21 of 41 from long distance, a spectacular 51 percent clip.
The Warriors, meanwhile, cooled off after a hot start, finishing with just 39 of 88 from the field (44.3 percent) and 19 of 45 from 3 (42.2 percent).
Steph Curry 7-of-14 behind the arc and led the Warriors with 34. Andrew Wiggins had 20 while Klay Thompson had a quiet15. And Jordan Poole was held to 9 points.
With the Game 1 win in this best-of-seven affair, the Celtics now have homecourt advantage.
Game 2 is Monday at the Chase Center in San fRancisco.
