Kyrie Irving Says He's Grown Since Last Playoff Matchup Against Celtics

Kyrie Irving Says He’s Grown Since Last Playoff Matchup Against Celtics

The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics will be squaring off in the 2024 NBA Finals, meaning star guard Kyrie Irving will be up against one of his former teams with a championship on the line.

Irving spent two seasons with the Celtics from 2017-19, and his exit from the franchise was anything but ceremonious. After joining the rival Brooklyn Nets in '19, the relationship soured further over the next few seasons, including one infamous moment in which Irving could be seen "flipping the bird" at a fan in the TD Garden crowd after a Game 1 loss back in the 2022 playoffs.

Irving was fined $50,000 for that incident, and he admitted to ESPN's Tim MacMahon that he doesn't feel his actions then were strong reflection of who he is now.

"...when we played in the playoffs and everyone saw me flip off the birds and kind of lose my s--- a little bit–that wasn't a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete on a high level," said Irving, via ESPN. "It wasn't a great reflection on my end towards the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment, no matter what people are yelling at you."

Since pairing up with Luka Doncic in Dallas, Irving has earned nothing but rave reviews from teammates, who often look to him as the team leader. His leadership culminated in the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, and it's a trait he feels he truly honed in on while with the Celtics, who were a young and upcoming team during his tenure.

"...the greatest thing I learned from Boston was just being able to manage not only my emotions or just what's going on on a day-to-day basis of being a leader of a team or being one of the leaders, and having young guys around you that have their own goals, but you have to learn how to put the big picture first," he said.

Four wins separate Irving from the second ring of his career, and although his past with the Celtics figures to be a prominent storyline in this NBA Finals matchup, he'll look to demonstrate the growth he's made as a leader and help guide Dallas to a championship.

3 Best Mavericks Players to Bet to Win NBA Finals MVP (Luka Doncic’s Award to Lose)

3 Best Mavericks Players to Bet to Win NBA Finals MVP (Luka Doncic’s Award to Lose)

The Dallas Mavericks are sizable underdogs in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, but there are a lot of public bettors that believe Dallas will take this series.

If you also believe that’s the case, betting on a Mavs player to win Finals MVP is a great way to cash in on some favorable odds since Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum is the odds on favorite in this market. 

Luka Doncic is No. 2 on the list – clearly the top Mavs player entering this series – but there are two dark horses that I think are worth considering if you want to place a small wager on them to win NBA Finals MVP.

I’ve already given out my three favorite candidates on Boston, so why not do the same for the Mavs? It is the NBA Finals after all! 

All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Luka Doncic (+200)

There is Doncic, and then there is a massive gap between the rest of the Mavs in this market – and for good reason. 

The 2023-24 regular season MVP finalist leads the playoffs in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers made, recording six triple-doubles in 17 games. 

Doncic has a massive usage rate, and he looked to bet getting over his knee and ankle injuries – at least when it comes to his scoring – in the Western Conference Finals, scoring 32 or more points in each of Dallas’ four wins. 

Jrue Holiday will be a tough and likely matchup for Doncic, but let’s not forget that Luka nearly averaged a triple double in the regular season while putting up 33.9 points per game. Dallas will need him to be otherworldly to win this series, and if he is, he’s going to win Finals MVP. 

Kyrie Irving (+2000)

Has there been a bigger revenge series in recent memory than this one for Kyrie Irving?

A former Celtic, Irving has a chance to bury his former team in the Finals, and he is the clear-cut No. 2 option to win Finals MVP on the Mavericks. In fact, no player has shorter than +29000 odds on Dallas after Doncic and Irving. 

Kyrie’s scoring would likely be his calling card to propel him in this market, but asking him to outplay Doncic is a tough task, and if he does, doesn’t that put Dallas in a tough spot to win the series? 

The Mavs need both of their stars to be great in this series, and if that’s the case, the betting odds suggest Doncic is the clear favorite here. Kyrie could be worth a sprinkle, but his path to a Finals MVP is a little murky outside of him scoring at an all-time rate. 

Dereck Lively II (+50000)

The longest of longshots, rookie Dereck Lively II is second on the Mavericks in plus/minus this postseason, and he’s made a massive impact on the defensive end of the floor. 

Could Lively’s defense and rebounding be enough to win this award?

It’s highly unlikely, but he’s the one Mavs role player I’d consider given his positive impact on a game-to-game basis for the Mavs. Plus, if Lively wins the matchup with Kristaps Porzingis (Daniel Gafford will start for Dallas but Lively will probably close) late in games, it could be crucial to Dallas pulling off an upset.

Don’t break the bank betting on him, but for the sake of this exercise, he’d be my No. 3 choice.

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.

3 Best Celtics Players to Bet to Win NBA Finals MVP (Jaylen Brown Undervalued)

3 Best Celtics Players to Bet to Win NBA Finals MVP (Jaylen Brown Undervalued)

There are plenty of ways to bet on the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, but wagering on the NBA Finals MVP may be one of the most exciting. 

Oddsmakers have set the NBA Finals market since the start of the playoffs, and one constant has been All-Star Jayson Tatum leading the way. Tatum, who is now -115 at DraftKings Sportsbook, is the best player on the best team in the NBA, and with Boston favored to win this series pretty heavily, he’s the odds-on favorite to take home NBA Finals MVP. 

Both Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are in the top five of the odds to win the Finals MVP, but I’m focusing strictly on Boston players to bet in this market in this article, as you prepare your card for the Finals.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Jaylen Brown (+650)

In terms of value, Jaylen Brown at +650 is the best bet on the board.

Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, getting the nod over Tatum, who was heavily favored, and it’s certainly possible that this could happen again. 

Based on implied probability, Brown has just a 13.33 percent chance to win Finals MVP while Tatum is all the way up at 53.49 percent. 

However, their numbers aren’t all that different this postseason.

PPG

RPG

APG

FG%

3P%

Jayson Tatum

26.0

10.4

5.9

44.2

29.0

Jaylen Brown

25.0

6.1

2.6

54.1

36.8

Tatum has definitely done more outside of scoring the ball, but he's also shooting significantly worse than Brown, who has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 11 of his 14 games this postseason.

Does a big scoring series by Brown -- with Tatum struggling from 3 this postseason -- shift the odds in his favor? Given how quickly Boston has worked through its other opponents, I wouldn't be shocked if one or two big games swing this market toward Brown.

Jayson Tatum (-115)

Tatum is an obvious choice to win this award, although you’re not getting a massive return on your investment if he does win. 

Even though his shot isn’t falling the way he’d like, Tatum has stepped up on the glass – which was huge with Porzingis out for the majority of the playoffs – and as a passer. 

Tatum doesn’t get a ton of credit for his passing ability, but he’s averaged over 5.0 assists per game in each of his last three playoff runs, reaching the NBA Finals twice in that stretch. 

If Tatum and Brown play similarly, the market is suggesting that Tatum has the edge, and he’d likely be the choice to win this award. Given his usage, especially as a passer, Tatum has a path to this award as long as he matches Brown’s scoring output. 

Jrue Holiday (+5000)

My dark horse pick for the NBA Finals MVP award on Boston is point guard Jrue Holiday, who was terrific against Indiana and has been on a heater over his last few playoff games.

Holiday is averaging 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game since Game 3 against Cleveland in the second round. He’s shooting an impressive 59.2 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from 3 in that stretch (seven games) while also taking on the toughest defensive assignment on a nightly basis.

That’s where Holiday has an interesting edge, as he could win this award if he shuts down Luka Doncic. We’ve seen it in the past (Andre Iguodala in 2015 and Kawhi Leonard in 2014) where the player tasked with guarding LeBron James earned the Finals MVP award.

It’s not a foolproof path for Holiday, but there’s certainly a chance he wins this, especially if Tatum and Brown don’t put together massive offensive numbers in the 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.

Peter's Points: Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Betting Odds, Prediction and Pick

Peter’s Points: Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Betting Odds, Prediction and Pick

Luka Doncic vs. Jayson Tatum. Kyrie Irving vs. Boston. Kristaps Porzingis vs. Dallas.

The stage is set for the 2024 NBA Finals, and we could be in for quite the series, especially since both of these teams have gotten a ton of rest since the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

Game 1 – on June 6 – is still a few days away, but the betting markets for the NBA Finals are alive and well. Not only are there odds for the series winner, exact games and NBA Finals MVP, but bettors can also wager on series-long player props ahead of Game 1 as well. 

Using odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, I’m taking a deep dive into this series where the Boston Celtics are heavily favored to win their first title in the Jayson Tatum era – something that has been building all season long in the futures market. 

Dallas, who is the No. 5 seed in the West, won three consecutive playoff series as a road team and underdog, but can it win one more? Doncic and Irving certainly are as well-equipped as a duo could be to lead their team to the promised land. 

As someone who is holding a preseason future on Boston, there are several ways to play this series. But, before getting into my pick, let’s discuss the series odds, correct score and Finals MVP markets and how they may shake out.  

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Based on implied probability, Boston has a 67.74 percent chance to win this series, while Dallas clocks in at 36.36 percent. 

It makes sense since Boston has home-court advantage in this matchup, but the Mavericks have played some great basketball as of late. Not only did they post the best defensive rating in the NBA over their last 15 games of the regular season, but they closed the season on a 16-4 run to earn the No. 5 seed. 

Since the trade deadline, when Dallas acquired PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, it has been a totally different team. 

However, there is one thing that I’ve been tracking for years that is working against Dallas in this series. Since the 1996-97 season, every team that has won the NBA Finals finished in the top eight in net rating during the regular season. 

Dallas did not in the 2023-24 campaign. 

Is this the year that this trend breaks? It could be given how drastically the Mavs’ roster changed at the trade deadline. Dallas had a net rating of +1.3 before the All-Star break (around the trade deadline) and it ended up posting a +3.7 net rating in 27 games out of the All-Star break – which was good for 12th in the NBA. 

I try not to read into these trends too much, but this one has extended over 25 years, so it’s going to take a special team to break it. 

As for Boston, this has been the expectation for the team all season long. The C’s have been Finals favorites for most of the campaign, and they rolled through the Eastern Conference in the playoffs.

While Boston has been maligned for having an easier path to the Finals due to injuries to its opponents, the Celtics beat whoever was in front of them, going 12-2 on their run. It’s hard to be much better than that. 

Since Boston is heavily favored to win this series, it has the three most likely outcomes in the correct score odds at DraftKings. 

Given Boston’s dominance on the road (6-0 this postseason), it isn’t crazy to think that this series could be over in five or six games, even though Dallas has yet to face a Game 7 all postseason. 

The Mavericks’ most likely outcome is to take the series in six games, with a four or five game win sitting as a massive long shot. Dallas has an implied probability of just 7.69 percent to win in five games and five percent to win in four games. 

Jayson Tatum is the odds on favorite to win NBA Finals MVP with Boston favored in this series, but can we count out Jaylen Brown?

Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, yet he’s +650 to win Finals MVP. Tatum has played much better as of late, but he started the postseason off in a bit of a shooting slump, and will likely draw one of Washington or Derrick Jones Jr. for the entirety of the series against Dallas. 

Luka Doncic (+205) is also interesting since he leads the playoffs in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers made. 

Obviously, Dallas would have to overcome being a massive underdog for Doncic to win this award, but at +205 he presents some more value than simply taking the Mavs to win the series. It’s tough to see any other Dallas player winning this award based on the odds, unless Kyrie Irving has a massive series scoring the ball. 

Doncic has been a triple-double machine in these playoffs, so we know he’s going to stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis, which would help him when it comes to the Finals MVP voting. 

Even though oddsmakers don’t seem to think this matchup will be super close, I actually believe we’re in for a terrific series given how Dallas matches up defensively with the Celtics. 

Washington, Jones Jr. and Dereck Lively II are all versatile defenders that could match up with Tatum, Brown and Porzingis respectively on defense. On the Boston side of things, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are about as good of a duo as you can have to deal with the offensive expertise of Doncic and Irving. 

Dallas and Boston have both thrived in clutch minutes so far this postseason, and each team has All-Star closers that can take over a game. If Porzingis is back – and it seems like he is trending in that direction – both teams will also be as healthy as they’ve been all playoffs now that Maxi Kleber is back from a shoulder injury for Dallas. 

So where does Boston’s advantage truly lie? 

While the Celtics faced three banged-up teams to up the playoffs, they dominated a good chunk of their games, only losing on masterful Game 2 shooting performances by Miami (23-for-43 from 3 in Game 2) and Cleveland (13-for-28 from 3 in Game 2). In both of those games, Boston failed to make double-digit 3-pointers, but it has been one of the best shooting teams all season. 

Doncic and Irving present a challenge the C’s haven’t faced yet, but to say Boston isn’t battle tested is flat out wrong. 

The Celtics are 6-0 on the road in the playoffs and turned three games in the Eastern Conference Finals where their opponent – the Indiana Pacers – had a 90 percent win probability or higher, into wins. Regardless of who is on the floor, that’s impressive resilience from a team that has played in big games a lot in the Tatum-Brown era. 

Dallas’ role players are going to have to knock down shots in this series – and they have for most of the playoffs – but Boston has more offensive firepower when Porzingis is in the lineup. A lot of people are forgetting they rolled through the last two rounds without KP’s 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds on the floor. 

Moving Al Horford to a smaller role should combat the problems Boston had defending the pick-and-roll this postseason, and Porzingis (if healthy) gives Boston elite rim protection against lob threats like Gafford and Lively. 

Dallas’ offense doesn’t have the ability to spread the floor like Boston’s does, and while I believe Doncic is the best player in this series, Boston has shown all season long that it is the best team. 

I don’t think Dallas gets run out of the building like Boston did to the East, but given the Celtics’ ability to win on the road in this postseason – and past postseasons – with this core, I think they clean this up in six games. 

Pick: Celtics in 6 (+475)

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.

Public Bettors Heavily Backing Mavericks to Win NBA Finals Over Celtics

Public Bettors Heavily Backing Mavericks to Win NBA Finals Over Celtics

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are underdogs in the 2024 NBA Finals, and public bettors... are loving it?

Dallas is around +175 to +180 (depending on the sportsbook) to win the Finals (an implied probability of 36.36 percent), yet more than 80 percent of the bets at BetMGM are on the Mavs to win the series against the Boston Celtics.

It's shocking to see bettors heavily backing Dallas since Boston has dominated the playoffs going 12-2 and finished the regular season with the best record and net rating in the NBA. Maybe it's the plus money that has bettors intrigued, but can Dallas really pull off the win in the Finals?

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Earlier on Monday, yours truly broke down this NBA Finals matchup with the latest odds, players to watch and keys to winning the series.

I still believe that Boston -- with a healthy Kristaps Porzingis -- is the better team and will go on to win the title.

However, Dallas has certainly made a compelling argument since the last 20 games of the regular season. Not only did the Mavs finish those 20 games 16-4 with the best defensive rating in the NBA, but they also won three straight playoff series as a road team and underdog.

That's extremely impressive, and it could be what is causing this massive influx of public bets on the Mavs to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving will have their hands full with a tough defense that features Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, but if the Mavs' stars outplay Brown and Jayson Tatum, it could be enough to win this series.

Still, taking note of where the public's money is can be a helpful strategy when deciding where to bet on a 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.

Kyrie Irving Is the NBA Finals Villain

Kyrie Irving Is the NBA Finals Villain

Last week, as thousands of green-clad fans spilled out of TD Garden and onto nearby Causeway St. still buzzing—and for many, still buzzed—from Boston’s Game 2 win over Indiana, an unmistakable chant filled the warm spring air.

We want Kyrie …

We want Kyrie …

It will be Dallas vs. Boston in the NBA Finals. It’s also Boston vs. Kyrie. Five years after Kyrie Irving’s abrupt exit, public (basketball) enemy No. 1 is back in town. They have met in the playoffs before, with Irving’s Nets wiping the floor with a battered Boston team in 2021 and the Celtics sweeping Brooklyn in ‘22.

A trip to the second round was at stake in those series.

This time, it’s a championship.

Said Irving, “Boston is in the way between our goal.”

In Boston, the disdain for Irving runs deep. He’s Ulf Samuelsson in high tops. Roger Goodell in gym shorts. The most disliked NBA player since Bill Laimbeer. What Reggie Miller is to New York, Irving is to Boston. The only difference is Miller never wore a Knicks uniform.  On eBay, you can still buy Irving jerseys in Celtics green.

Time heals most wounds. Not these. These have barely scabbed over. Irving has not exactly attempted to ease the tension. In 2021, before Irving returned to Boston for a first-round playoff series with Brooklyn, he said he hoped not to hear any “subtle racism.” After beating the Celtics in Game 4, Irving walked to center court and stomped on the logo.

There will inevitably be attempts to rewrite history in the days ahead. Irving didn’t hate Boston. He just wanted to go home to New York. He didn’t have bad relationships with his teammates. That’s media stuff, reporters chasing clicks. He didn’t bail out on his team late in the 2018-19 season. Those Celtics just didn’t have enough.

Nonsense. He wasn’t on the same page as Brad Stevens. He didn’t have much of a relationship with Jaylen Brown. Quit is probably too strong of a word but talk to enough people around that 2018-19 team and it’s clear there’s a belief that late in the season, Irving checked out. In the fall of ’18, Irving grabbed a mic and told a giddy Garden crowd he intended to re-sign there. By the spring, he was gone.

On Sunday, Irving talked about how he better understands leadership. In Boston, he struggled with it. Irving was the only member of the Celtics core with a championship, a status he was known to wield like a cudgel. He knew what it took to win—and he had the ring to prove it. During one locker room discussion, sources told SI, it was pointed out that Al Horford won two championships at Florida. Not the same, Irving said. A Boston assistant was part of a championship staff in Europe. Not the same, he replied. Aron Baynes, a reserve center on the Celtics 2018-19 team who won a title with San Antonio, wasn’t in the room for the exchange. At least one ex-teammate wonders what Irving would have said if he was.

Nov 19, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA;  Celtics’ Kyrie Irving talks to head coach Brad Stevens.Nov 19, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA;  Celtics’ Kyrie Irving talks to head coach Brad Stevens.

Things never fully clicked for Irving (11) in Boston. / Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

In Dallas, things are different. Throughout the organization, respect for Irving runs deep. He has been an extension of Jason Kidd on the floor. He has been a calming influence off of it. He has figured out how to succeed opposite Luka Dončić, creating an all-time great duo in the process. When Irving returned from a leg injury in January, team officials marveled at the effort Irving was putting in on the defensive end of the floor.

Asked about the skepticism of Irving’s fit in Dallas, Kidd said, “It’s alright to be wrong.”

Some of it is Irving, at 32, facing reality. He has played on three teams in the last six seasons. Four in the last eight. Cleveland, Boston, Brooklyn—Vesuvius left less wreckage. When Irving hit free agency last summer, Dallas was the only team offering real money to sign him.

Some of it is Dallas. The warm Texas climate and its right leaning politics. “He still will have his opinions of what he thinks,” said Kidd. “And here with the Mavs, we support that.” In Kidd, Irving has found a peer. Irving grew up watching Kidd in New Jersey. When Irving was in high school, they connected at a Nike event. “He was pretty good,” said Kidd. Inside the Dallas locker room, the bond between Irving and Kidd is ironclad.

“Just being able to talk the truth or speak the truth to one another,” said Kidd. “I compliment him for trusting me. I'm only here to tell him the truth and to try to help him achieve his goals.”

Kidd knows what it’s like to be a villain in Boston, his Nets years filled with fierce Celtics battles. Kidd was fueled by the hate. At times, Irving has seemed rattled by it. Irving has faced the Celtics 10 times since the 2021 playoffs. He has lost each one. He has had several dustups with fans, admitting in ‘22 that the crass attacks were “about so much you can take as a competitor.” It was bad then. It will be worse now.

“I’m at a place in my life where I don’t consider those past moments,” Irving told ESPN. “I was able to unpack them in a healthy way [and] move forward as a person. I had a rough time there when I was in Boston, dealing with a death in my family and a lot of off-court stuff that I wasn’t ready to handle. Now that I’m in a great place to be able to vocalize how I’m feeling, I’m ready to go back into Boston and have fun with my teammates.”

Fun? That’s up to Irving. Dallas needs a poised Irving. A composed one. This will be a difficult series. The Celtics are 2–0 against the Mavericks this season. They beat them by nine before the trades that brought P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford to Dallas. They beat them by 28 after. They have elite defenders, dynamic wing scorers and will likely have a healthy Kristaps Porziņģis when the series begins next week.

“They have a lot of talented players,” said Kidd. “They've been [to the Finals] before. They have the experience, they're well coached. This is another great test.”

They need Irving. Dončić will get his points. The All-NBA guard is enjoying one of the finest stretches of his career. But he will need help. He will need Irving to be the shot maker he was in the conference finals, where he averaged 27 points—including 36 in Game 5—on 49% shooting. The three-point shooter (42.3%) he has been in the playoffs. The All-Star-level sidekick he has been all season.

Irving is coming to Boston, and make no mistake: a hyped up Boston crowd will be waiting. The boos will be loud, the rhetoric nasty. It will be the most intense environment Irving has played in and this time, everything is at stake. A championship is within reach for Kyrie Irving. It’s the Celtics, it’s Boston standing in front of it.

Mavericks Advance to NBA Finals After Routing Timberwolves in Game 5

Mavericks Advance to NBA Finals After Routing Timberwolves in Game 5

The stage is officially set for the 2024 NBA Finals, as the Dallas Mavericks managed to close out the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

The Mavs' 124–103 win lifts the team to its first championship appearance since 2011, and there was never really a doubt for most of the contest after a dominant start from Luka Dončić, who scored 20 points in the first quarter.

As has been the case all playoffs long, Dallas put the ball into the hands of its tandem of star guards, Dončić and Kyrie Irving, and let them go to work. The two combined for 72 points in Thursday's series-clinching win and were tied for the game-high in scoring with 36 points apiece.

The Mavericks' other starters and role players lived up to their end of the billing, too, providing quality work on the glass and making life difficult for the Timberwolves offensively. Daniel Gafford's plus-minus of +27 was the highest in the game, and he and Dereck Lively II didn't miss a single field goal attempt between them (6-for-6) while combining for 17 rebounds.

In 17 games during the playoffs, Dončić is averaging 28.7 points per game as he’s helped guide the Mavs, who entered the postseason as the No. 5 seed in the West, through the conference gauntlet. He's now set for the first NBA Finals appearance of his career, where a showdown against the Boston Celtics awaits.

Game 1 is set for next Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. EST from the TD Garden in Boston, Mass.

How to Watch the 2024 NBA Finals With & Without Cable: Full Streaming Guide

How to Watch the 2024 NBA Finals With & Without Cable: Full Streaming Guide

A new NBA champion will be crowned come June with the official start of the 2024 NBA Finals.

This year’s competition will feature a showdown between the top-seeded Boston Celtics and either the No. 5 Dallas Mavericks or No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavs currently lead the Western Conference finals series, 3-1, and will play the Timberwolves in Game 5 on Thursday.

If the Mavericks manage to close out the series, they will battle Jayson Tatum and the Celtics for their first NBA championship in 13 years.

The Celtics, meanwhile, will be looking to clinch their 18th championship in franchise history, which would surpass the Los Angeles Lakers (17) for most championships all-time. 

Here’s how to watch and listen to the 2024 NBA Finals.

All 2024 NBA Finals games will broadcast on ABC. 

Fans who have a cable subscription will be able to view the Finals broadcast, which is exclusive to ABC. They should check their local TV stations for specific channel info. 

GAME

MATCHUP

DATE/TIME

CHANNEL

Game 1

Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves @ Boston Celtics

Thursday, June 6, 8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 2

Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves @ Boston Celtics

Sunday, June 9, 8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 3

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves

Wednesday, June 12, 8:30 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 4

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves

Friday, June 14, 8:30 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 5 (if necessary)

Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves @ Boston Celtics

Monday, June 17, 8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 6 (if necessary)

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves

Thursday, June 20, 8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 7 (if necessary)

Dallas Mavericks/ Minnesota Timberwolves @ Boston Celtics

Sunday, June 23, 8 p.m. ET

ABC

All 2024 NBA Finals games will be available to stream on the ESPN app as well as the ABC app. Both the ESPN and ABC apps will require a TV provider login, though.

Streaming options that don’t require cable include FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. For fans not looking to spend exorbitant amounts on a streaming service, FuboTV offers a free one-week trial to new subscribers.

All 2024 NBA Finals games will be available to listen to on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Channel 86 nationally.

For local stations, fans are encouraged to check their local listings for channel information specific to their area.

Select NBA Finals broadcasts are also available on NBA on ESPN Radio. Fans should also check their local listings for more information as the start date of the Finals nears.