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.

4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jimmy Butler Utters Confident Statement About Heat’s Playoff Fate

The Miami Heat were bounced from the NBA playoffs in five games by the Boston Celtics, but star Jimmy Butler believes things would have been different if he was healthy.

Butler suffered a sprained MCL during the play-in tournament against the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed all five games against the Celtics.

"If I was playing, Boston would be at home," Butler recently said in an interview with Rock the Bells. "New York would d--- sure be f--king at home."

#RTBExclusive: @JimmyButler said what he said. Do you think Miami would have beaten Boston in the #NBAPlayoffs if Playoff Jimmy Butler was playing? pic.twitter.com/4HvHKhTsCM
— Rock The Bells (@RockTheBells) May 4, 2024

The Celtics cruised to the Eastern Conference's best record (64–18) this season, but Butler's confidence likely is coming from the rivals' recent playoff history. The Heat got the better of Boston in both the 2020 and '23 conference finals.

Butler was named the 2023 Eastern Conference finals MVP after tallying 24.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game against the Celtics.

Butler ended his quick interview with Rock the Bells by addressing New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who he played for with the Chicago Bulls from 2011 to '15 and again with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017 to '19.

Thibodeau and the Knicks are set to face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games.

"I love Thibs, but I don't want him to win," Butler said. "Thibs, I love you baby, but I want to beat you to a pulp. It's like a one-sided relationship. You're in love with me. I love you, but I'm not in love with you."

Butler, 34, will be paid over $48 million by the Heat next season. He has a $52.4 million player option on his contract for the 2025-26 campaign.

7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

NBA Finals Odds: Oddsmakers Give Celtics 80 Percent Chance to Win After Game 1

It took just one game -- one quarter really -- of the 2024 NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics to show why they had the best record in the NBA in the 2023-24 season and led the league in net rating.

Boston jumped out to the biggest first quarter lead in a Game 1 in NBA Finals history, and it didn't let Dallas get closer than eight points the rest of the way in a blowout win.

The C's came into this series as -210 favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, giving them an implied probability of over 60 percent to win the title. That has already changed drastically after Boston's Game 1 win.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Based on the latest odds at DraftKings, Boston has an implied probability of 80 percent to win the NBA Finals this season. While it was only one game, it's clear that Boston's dominance has altered the betting market in a big way.

A historical trend that dates back to the 1996-97 season also favors Boston, as no team that has finished outside the top eight in net rating during the regular season has gone on to win the NBA Finals since then.

Dallas is attempting to break that trend this season.

Since the 1996-97 season, every team that won the NBA Finals finished inside the top 8 in net rating during the regular season.
This season:
1. Celtics
2. Thunder
3. Timberwolves
4. Nuggets
5. Knicks
6. Pelicans
7. Clippers
8. Suns
Knicks, Celtics the only teams in East...🤔
— Peter Dewey (@peterdewey2) April 18, 2024

For bettors that still believe in the Mavericks, there is something to hang your hat on after Game 1.

Jason Kidd was just 1-5 (now 1-6) in Game 1s as the Mavericks' head coach, but he's led his team to a 5-1 series record so far in two playoff runs. Kidd has made the adjustments -- and his team has responded -- after other poor showings in series openers in the playoffs this season.

As a bettor who already has a Celtics future from the preseason in pocket, I'm standing pat ahead of Sunday's Game 2 based on the latest odds movement.

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 NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

10 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Luka Dončić Takes Ownership of Mavericks’ ‘Missed Opportunity’ in Game 2

The Dallas Mavericks are down two games to none against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, and Luka Doncic admitted after the Game 2 defeat on Sunday that each loss felt like a "missed opportunity."

Despite leading the game with 32 points and recording a triple-double, Doncic wasn't pleased with his own performance on Sunday night, and he took ownership for some of his sloppy play when speaking to reporters after the game.

"Every game we lose is a missed opportunity for us," said Doncic, via Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints.

"I think my turnovers and missed free throws cost us the game. So I've got to do way better in those categories," he added, via SI's Grant Afseth.

Doncic shot an uncharacteristically poor 4 for 8 from the free throw line and turned the ball over eight times in Sunday's loss. The four missed free throws and eight turnovers were both postseason highs, and he's now 6 for 13 from the charity stripe during the NBA Finals and has as many turnovers (12) as he does assists.

Although Doncic is shouldering the blame, the 2–0 deficit is hardly his fault. The rest of the team has shot a putrid 5 for 32 from three-point territory through the first two games of the series, and Kyrie Irving has yet to connect from beyond the arc. Irving's 28 points through Games 1 and 2 were fewer than the 32 Doncic provided on Sunday night alone.

Game 3 on Wednesday night will prove crucial for Dallas as they look to claw back against the Celtics, and although Doncic noted that he'll have to take care of the ball better and get the job done at the free throw line, the onus is on his teammates to step up, too.

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