Best NBA Betting Odds and Trends for Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Game 1

June 6, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is upon us, and there’s plenty to get to know before placing your wagers.

If you’re looking for my best bets or the breakdown of Game 1 between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics, you can find them here on SI Betting!

Before you place any bets on Game 1, here’s a look at the latest odds and some trends to know for Thursday night’s series opener.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Moneyline

Total

Boston Celtics as Home Favorites

There are several key trends to know ahead of Game 1, starting with Boston’s record as a home favorite. The C’s are 26-21-2 against the spread as home favorites this season, winning those games by an average margin of 14.4 points per game.

Boston also has the best against the spread record in the first half of games this season (63-32-1).

Dallas Mavericks on the Road

The Mavericks are an NBA-best 34-16 against the spread on the road, but we can break that down even further.

As a road underdog, Dallas is 14-11 against the spread, which isn’t as great, but it thrived as a road favorite, going 20-5 ATS. Unfortunately, the Mavs are road dogs in Game 1.

Game 1 Favorites Dominate Since 2005

Since 2005 Game 1 favorites are an insane 16-3 against the spread, and going back the past 30 years, they are 21-9 against the spread.

Boston is favored by 6.5 points in Game 1, and it has covered in two of the three opening games of its playoff series.

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.

Find Peter Dewey’s betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

11 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Historic Trend Gives Celtics Massive Edge to Win NBA Finals Over Mavericks

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics have a 2-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, and that puts them in some great company all time.

There have been 36 teams that have led 2-0 in the NBA Finals, and they are 31-5 straight up in the series all time. Not only that, but Boston as a franchise has a 43-1 record when leading 2-0 in a playoff series, only losing in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals.

The C's -- the finals favorite for most of the 2023-24 season -- are now -800 at DraftKings Sportsbook to win the title this season heading into Game 3 in Dallas on Wednesday night.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Based on these odds, the Celtics have an implied probability of 88.89 percent to win the title this season. Dallas -- at +550 -- has just a 15.38 percent chance based on implied probability.

Even though Boston is going on the road in Game 3, I wouldn't be worried as a Boston bettor.

The C's are a perfect 6-0 straight up on the road in the playoffs, and Dallas is just 25-24 against the spread at home in the 2023-24 season.

Betting strictly on a historic trend isn't the best way to wager on a series, but this is a great sign for bettors that are holding a Celtics future. In fact, there is one bettor that wagered $215,000 on the Celtics to win the series prior to the start of the NBA Finals.

Boston is set as a slight underdog heading into Game 3 despite being 14-2 straight up this postseason.

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.

4 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Luka Dončić Denies Kristaps Porizingis Feud After Chandler Parsons’s Claim

The reunion between Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics won't be the only meeting of a player with their former team during the 2024 NBA Finals. Kristaps Porzingis will also be up against his old squad, having played for the Dallas Mavericks back from 2019 to '21.

On Monday, Fanduel's Chandler Parsons suggested there was some bad blood between Porzingis and Luka Dončić stemming from their time as a tandem in Dallas.

Dončić addressed the claims from Parsons on Tuesday, indicating he and Porzingis have a good relationship, despite their on-court efforts not yielding much success, and added that he's scarcely ever even spoken to Parsons.

"I've talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don't know how he would know... But me and KP have a good relationship," said Dončić, via Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.

Chandler Parsons previously said that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis don’t have a good relationship.
Doncic shut down that narrative and said he’s only talked to Paraons “maybe twice in my life.”#Mavericks #OneforDallas pic.twitter.com/uA6UcnKbuu
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 4, 2024

Porzingis joined the Mavs and was paired alongside Dončić with the goal of making an elite offensive tandem. Expectations were not quite met, however, and the plug was pulled on the experiment after a little more than two seasons.

They've both since gone on to find success, with Porzingis playing a vital role for the Celtics as they earned the league's best record in the regular season and Dončić emerging as arguably the sport's best player and leading his Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.

Porzingis was also asked about the situation with Dončić in Dallas, though he didn't want to spend too much time on the topic.

"It didn't work out. I think it was–yeah. I don't know, I'm not even thinking about that right now. I'm focused on the job ahead. We can talk about that later," said Porzingis, via Noa Dalzell of SB Nation.

Kristaps Porzingis didn't want to get into the weeds of his relationship with Luka / his Mavericks tenure today:
"It didn't work out. I think it was - yeah. I don't know, I'm not even thinking about that right now. I'm focused on the job ahead. We can talk about that later." pic.twitter.com/GU2S0vrVAs
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) June 4, 2024

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off on Thursday, June 8 at 8:30 p.m. EST from the TD Garden in Boston.

10 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Kristaps Porziņģis Appeared to Injure His Other Leg During Game 2

The Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 105–98 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, yet any good feelings about taking a 2–0 series lead were somewhat quelled due to the uncertain health status of the team's star center.

During the fourth quarter, Kristaps Porziņģis hurt his leg going for a loose ball against Dallas guard P.J. Washington. He stepped awkwardly, hopped and fell down. He then ran up and down the floor a few times with his leg clearly bothering him. At the next dead ball he was replaced by Al Horford and never returned. Here's the play where he was injured.

VIDEO:
Kristaps Porzingis falls (replay) pic.twitter.com/4J1QPZVY5m
— 3030 (@jose3030) June 10, 2024

Porziņģis remained on the bench, appearing to stretch his calf. The interesting thing here is that he appears to be stretching his left calf. He just missed a month of the postseason with a right calf injury. He returned for Game 1 and was awesome.

Kristaps Porzingis is off the floor, seemingly working on his calf. pic.twitter.com/pxOpKk05tW
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) June 10, 2024

If Porziņģis has a new injury to deal with, it could make the Finals interesting. Dallas lost the first games of their first and second round series and were tied 2–2 in both before eventually winning. If Porziņģis is hobbled, the Mavericks have a chance to even the series in Dallas. Boston fans might be holding their breath waiting for an update, but coach Joe Mazzulla is optimistic, saying after the game that he had "zero concern" about Porziņģis's health status.

US Sports News

Best NBA Betting Odds and Trends for Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Game 1

Boston Celtics as Home Favorites

Dallas Mavericks on the Road

Game 1 Favorites Dominate Since 2005

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Jimm Sallivan