As the Chicago Bulls defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, all eyes turned to TD Garden, where the marquee Christmas Day matchup was about to begin—the Boston Celtics versus the Golden State Warriors.
To the impassioned introductions of commentator Mike Gorman and the roaring cheers of the fans, the Boston Celtics players emerged one after another. Finally, the last player, Goodwin, stepped out.
The entire arena erupted, the fans roaring wildly, "MVP!" "MVP!" "MVP!"... Amid the deafening chants, Goodwin walked toward center court step by step with a smile on his face.
He had been looking forward to this game immensely!
After the grand player introductions ended, both teams headed off to warm up.
Once warmups were over, the starters from both sides took off their jackets and stepped onto the court.
Taking the opportunity, commentator Mike Gorman introduced the starting lineups to the fans in the arena and watching on television.
The Boston Celtics' starting lineup: Tony Allen, Gordon Hayward, Goodwin, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Marc Gasol.
To counter the Golden State Warriors, Coach Jack had put out an extremely mobile starting lineup with an average height of two meters.
The Golden State Warriors' starting lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut.
Smack!
Andrew Bogut got to the ball first, tipping it into the backcourt as the Golden State Warriors gained the first possession of the game.
Stephen Curry dribbled across half court.
Just after crossing midcourt, Stephen Curry fired a precise pass to Andrew Bogut at the top of the arc.
On the other side, Klay Thompson wanted to come over for the ball, but Hayward, his defender, charged over like lightning and cut off his receiving lane completely.
Faced with Gordon Hayward's tight defense, Klay Thompson showed no intention of backing down.
He moved agilely, trying