Game 3 of the NBA Finals won’t decide the Boston Celtics-Dallas Mavericks series, but there are 1.5 million reasons to care about it for one bettor.
A $1.5 million wager came in on Boston to win Game 3 of the Finals and take a 3-0 series lead at Hard Rock Bet. The Celtics are underdogs in this game (+105 for this bet, +114 at DraftKings Sportsbook on Wednesday morning), just the second time they’ve been underdogs in the last five months.
If the Celtics win, this bettor will win over $3 million!
Boston has not been an underdog all postseason, and it actually hasn’t been favored by fewer than 6.5 points in any game. Here’s a quick look at the latest odds.
Boston’s odds have gone from +2 to +2.5 over the last 24 hours with the news that Kristaps Porzingis has a new leg injury and is now questionable for Game 3.
It’s been reported that Porzingis will attempt to play, but it’s possible that he’s either unable to go or not nearly as effective due to the injury.
Boston has been dominant on the road this postseason, going 6-0 straight up — which is a great sign for this bettor.
Not only that, but the Celtics have spent most of the playoffs without Porzingis, and yet they’ve only lost two total games.
Oddsmakers are giving Dallas the edge at home in Game 3, but this bettor could end up with an insanely huge pay day if Boston goes up 3-0 on Wednesday night.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Before they could get comfortable at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics opened up a 17-point lead after 12 minutesâthe biggest lead for any team in the first quarter of a Game 1 in NBA Finals history. Boston continued to pile on and led by as many as 29 points in the second quarter before Dallas began chipping away.
The Mavericks trimmed the deficit to eight points in the third quarter but weren't able to fully complete the comeback, losing 107â89. If they did, it would've made NBA history.
The largest comeback in a single NBA playoff games is 31 points, set in 2019 when the Los Angeles Clippers erased a 31-point deficit to win Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers outscored Golden State 85â58 in the second half to win that game.
But as far as the NBA Finals goes, the biggest comeback was when the Celtics battled back from 24 points down to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the 2008 Finals.
DATE
MATCHUP
DEFICIT
FINAL SCORE
June 12, 2008
Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers led by 24 points
Celtics 97, Lakers 91
The Celtics entered Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals holding a 2â1 series lead. They swept the first two games of the series at TD Banknorth Garden and lost 87â81 in an ugly defensive battle in Game 3 at then-Staples Center.
Los Angeles came out hot in the first quarter of Game 4, shooting 64.7% from the field and taking a 35â14 lead after 12 minutes while the Celtics shot just 27.3% (6 of 22). The Lakers built it up to a 24-point lead in the second quarter when Sasha Vujacic drained a three-pointer off a pass from Kobe Bryant to make it 45â21.
The score remained 45â21 for nearly two minutes of game time, as the teams exchanged misses, until Celtics forward Kevin Garnet knocked down a mid-range jumper. And the Celtics' comeback began.
Boston still trailed the Lakers by 18 points at halftime but came out firing in the third quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 31â15. They tied the game at 73 with 10:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, and took their first lead of the game at 84â83 with 4:07 remaining. From there, they closed out on a 13â8 run to win 97â91 and take a 3â1 series lead.
The Lakers led for 40:30 of game time. They couldn't miss in the first half but shot just 33.3% from the field in the final two quarters, missing all eight attempts from downtown. Bryant and Pau Gasol logged a plus/minus of -24 in the second half.
Garnet tallied a double-double in 37 minutes, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. But it was James Posey providing the spark off the bench, logging 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting and nailing four three-pointers.
Facing a 24-point deficit in the NBA Finals? As Garnett would go on to say after Boston claimed Game 6 and were crowned champions, anything is possible.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals is upon us, and there are only so many more days that we can bet on the NBA this season, so why not take advantage of them with a few player prop picks?
Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks ended up being a blowout, but it was an educational game in terms of how these teams are going to match up.
We learned that Kristaps Porzingis was going to come off the bench, Boston was going to play Luka Doncic straight up, and Dallasâ lob threats weren't going to have an easy time at the rim.
There is one prop I took in Game 1 â Jrue Holidayâs points, rebounds, and assists â that Iâm going back to on Sunday night, along with two more plays to round out the betting card.
Kristaps Porzingis OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-130)
Kristaps Porzingis came off the bench for Boston in Game 1 and dominated the game in the 21 minutes that he played, shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.
While he didnât play his usual minutes, Porzingis still attempted the second-most shots on the team and was a clear focal point on the Boston offense.
Iâm eyeing his 3-point prop in Game 2, as heâs had a ton of success against Dallas in this market this season. In his lone regular-season meeting with the Mavs, KP drilled four of his eight shots from beyond the arc.
Dallas switched a lot in Game 1, giving Porzingis some favorable matchups to shoot over smaller defenders. If that continues, I imagine he keeps letting it fly from 3. KP shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc in the regular season.
Jrue Holiday OVER 22.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-120)
Jrue Holiday did a little bit of everything in Game 1, finishing with 12 points (4-for-9 shooting), eight rebounds, and five assists to clear his PRA prop of 22.5.
Oddsmakers are setting this at the same number in Game 2, and Iâll gladly take the OVER again on the Celtics point guard.
Holiday has now cleared this line in every game since the start of the Eastern Conference Finals and seven of his last eight contests while averaging 16.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game over that stretch.
There arenât a ton of shots to go around in the Boston offense, but Holiday still got a decent share in Game 1 and did a lot of the dirty work on the glass as well. Until he starts missing this number consistently, heâs a must-bet for me in Game 2.
PJ Washington OVER 5.5 Rebounds (-135)
Dallas forward PJ Washington had a big game on the glass in Game 1 with the Celtics spreading out the Dallas defense.
Washington finished with eight rebounds in the loss, the ninth time in 12 times that heâs cleared this total (dating back to the start of the second round against Oklahoma City).
For the playoffs, Washington has just one game where he finished with less than five rebounds, and heâs averaging 6.8 rebounds per game overall.
Dallas needs him on the floor defensively, and this is a favorable matchup for him to hit the glass on the defensive end since both of Bostonâs centers stretch the floor and arenât always parked in the paint (like Rudy Gobert was in the Western Conference Finals).
This is a great number to land Washington at him Game 2.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
There are no issues between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Pressure? Well âŚ
Last week, the four-letter network made waves by reigniting a long-dormant debate about Tatum and Brownâs relationship. Only there is no debate. Tatum and Brown are fine. Always have been. They have known each other since high school, when they competed at an Under Armour camp. They are, as Brown noted last week, âpolar opposites.â But whenever the trade rumors swirled around Brown over the years, Tatum has backed him. When Tatum won a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, Brown celebrated with him. In â22, while reporting a Sports Illustrated cover story on the Boston Celtics, I asked Tatumâs longtime trainer, Drew Hanlen, if he had any thoughts on the Tatum-Brown relationship.
âJayson brags about how good Jaylen is,â Hanlen told me. âHow there arenât many players he would trade straight up for him. Any narrative that they didnât like each other, that they canât win together is totally made up.â
Indeed, they can win together. Boston has made six conference finals in the Tatum-Brown era. Two NBA Finals. Four seasons of 50-plus wins. In a league that covets elite two-way wings, the Celtics have a pair of them.
Still, Bostonâs duo has reached a critical juncture. The 2022 Finals defeat was disappointing. But, in a way, excusable. The Golden State Warriors were elite. They had championship-level talent and years of experience with it. Did the Celtics gag away a potential 3â1 series lead in Game 4? Maybe. More accurate would be Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Warriors went out and took it.
âThis time, this go-around is a lot different,â Tatum said. âYou donât always get a second chance, so really just looking at it as a second chance and trying to simplify things as much as we can.â
Curry shoots the ball against Tatum and Brown during Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Added Al Horford, âThe first time [in 2022], it felt like a roller coaster, just a lot going on, increased coverage in media, all the responsibilities we had and everything that came with it. This time around, we all have an understanding. We know what things are like and I feel like weâll be able to manage it better.â
This year, there are no Warriors. The Dallas Mavericks are good. They have Luka Doncic, a superstar. Kyrie Irving, a premiere wingman. P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II and Derrick Jones Jr. can play. The defense has improved considerably since midseason acquisitions to acquire Washington and Daniel Gafford. While the Celtics were cruising through the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, the Mavericks were muscling out the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, the Celtics are heavy favorites. They are six deep with All-Starâlevel talent. Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are elite defenders. Kristaps Porzingis, who appears to be tracking toward a Game 1 return, is a terror on both ends of the floor. Horford, who celebrated his 38th birthday on Monday, is ageless.
And they have Tatum and Brown. This has not been a flawless postseason run. There have been some clunkers. Tatumâs 7-for-17 performance in a Game 2 loss to Cleveland. Brownâs 0-for-6 three-point stat line in the same game. But the Celtics are 12â2 in the playoffs, with Tatum (26.0 points on 44.2% shooting) and Brown (25.0 points, 54.1% shooting) leading the way.
Now, though, comes the real test. The scrutiny of Tatum and Brownâs relationship is unfair. âThe whole thing about that really pisses me off,â coach Joe Mazzulla said. Raising expectations for their play is not. Curry and Thompson wonât be remembered for conference championships. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray arenât defined by 50-win seasons. If Tatum and Brown want to be regarded as an elite duo, they need to win a title.
For years, Tatum has been among the NBAâs most scrutinized stars. Heâs a great scorer ⌠just not always in the clutch. Heâs a strong defender ⌠just not one of the best. Even as Tatumâs game has grownâin the post, at the rim, in his playmakingâheâs often viewed as a cut below the NBAâs best.
Brown, too. Brown signed the richest contract in NBA history last summer. He responded with a season (23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, a career-best 3.6 assists) worthy of it. In Boston, Brown will always be the second star. But that doesnât mean he canât be one of the best wings in the game.
Mazzulla and Brown understand the magnitude of what is at stake in the 2024 Finals. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
âAs long as my team knows my value, my city knows my value, my family, thatâs all I really care about,â Brown said. âBut I like to set my hat on just being a versatile two-way wing [who] can do both at any point in time.â
Tatum and Brown understand the stakes. A series win springboards them into rarified air, a tandem with a title, and a chance to win more. A loss opens them up for criticism and more questions about whether the pairing really works.
âI think [itâs unfair] being compared to each other,â Mazzulla said. âTheyâre different. And you see other duos around the league donât have to go through that. And itâs because of the platform that they have. Itâs because theyâve been so successful their entire careers. Theyâve been able to long stand success at a high level.â
Now itâs time to do it at the highest. Two years ago, in the immediate aftermath of a Game 6 loss, Tatum slumped in his locker. In TD Garden, the visiting locker room is directly across from the home one, making the roar of the Warriorsâ celebration unavoidable. Walking to his car that night, Tatum could hear the Champagne-soaked afterparty still raging. He vowed never to forget that feeling. He swore he would never let an opportunity like that slip away again. Two years later, Tatum, still alongside Brown, will get that chance.
