The Golden State Warriors entered the series opener with 123 more combined games of NBA Finals experience than the Boston Celtics and left with the worst fourth-quarter disparity in this stage's history.
In between, the Celtics looked lost, staggering from a vintage Stephen Curry heat check in the opening quarter and a classic Golden State landslide in the third, only to find themselves on a 17-0 run that swung Game 1, home-court advantage and potentially the tenor of this championship series in a 120-108 win.
"We've been counted out all year. Rightfully so," Celtics guard Marcus Smart said, following a comeback victory that resembled his team's remarkable turnaround from a midseason afterthought.