The 2024 NBA Finals begin tonight with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics have been dominant in the playoffs so far. Despite missing big man Kristaps Porzingis for most of the postseason, the Celtics have gone 12-2 against the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Dallas Mavericks, however, are a whole other story. Luka Doncic has been dominant in the playoffs so far, averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game.
The Celtics have yet to face a more dominant opponent, and in basketball, the best player on the court can sometimes make the difference between winning and losing. Here's everything you need to know about this year's NBA Finals.
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2024 NBA Finals Predictions:
Scooby Axson, USA Today: Celtics win six games
“This may come down to which duo plays better — Kyrie-Luka or Tatum-Brown — but the deciding factor will be Kristaps Porzingis. If he can give the team anything when he returns from a 10-game absence with a calf injury, the Celtics should be waving the No. 18 flag because they're too deep and too good,” Ackson wrote.
Brad Botkin, CBS Sports: Mavericks in 7 games
Botkin wrote, “I'm on the Luka-Kyrie train. I can't help it. I don't know if I'm a prisoner of the moment, but this series is going to be close and close. As someone who doesn't trust the Celtics as a whole, I simply trust these two to close games out. I won't argue with anyone who disagrees with me on this choice; it's a coin toss. But you can't ignore how good Luka and Kyrie are, and how legitimizing this Mavs defense is with Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II at the rim.”
Sam Panayotovic, FOX Sports: The Celtics win the NBA Finals
Panayotovic wrote, “The odds on this are as high as -230 in Vegas, and DraftKings is currently carrying the lowest price at -210. Give them your best numbers. I'm not a huge C's fan, but the Greens would have been over -400 against Dallas before the postseason began. This is too cheap and we'd get a deeper, more complete team. I considered cutting Jayson Tatum for Finals MVP and going -110, but decided not to overthink it.”
How to watch the 2024 NBA Finals:
*All times listed are Eastern Time
- Game 1: Mavericks @ Celtics, Thursday, June 6, 8:30pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 2: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 9, 8:00 pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 3: Celtics vs Mavericks, Wednesday, June 12, 8:30 pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 4: Celtics vs Mavericks, Friday, June 14, 8:30pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 5 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Celtics, Monday, June 17, 8:30 p.m. | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 6 (if necessary): Celtics vs Mavericks, Thursday, June 20, 8:30 pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
- Game 7 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 23, 8:00 pm | ABC, Sling TV, fubo TV
Stream the final:Watch every game of the 2024 NBA Finals with a fubo subscription
Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics: NBA Finals Game 1 odds, spread and lines
According to BetMGM basketball odds, the Boston Celtics are the favorites to beat the Dallas Mavericks in Thursday's NBA Finals. Want to place a bet? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promotions in 2024.
Odds as of Wednesday afternoon.
Game 1 odds:
- Spread the word: Celtics (-6.5)
- Money Line: Celtics (-250); Mavericks (+200)
- Over/Under: 214.5
Odds to win the NBA Finals:
- Celtics (-225)
- Mavericks (+180)
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