David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics: NBA Finals – Game 1
The Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks are starting the NBA Finals series tonight at TD Garden in Boston.
The Mavs have proved the doubters wrong
The Dallas Mavericks are having an excellent season, reaching the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history. They started the playoffs by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in six games and did the same in the second round against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The Western Conference Finals were the easiest challenge in the playoffs so far, as the Mavs won in five games. Luka Doncic is the NBA’s leading scorer this season, averaging 33.9 points per game, and he averages 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in the playoffs.
The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals
The Boston Celtics had the best regular season record, and they had no trouble reaching the NBA Finals. They lost Game 2 in each of the first two series against the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers and swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jayson Tatum is playing excellent in the playoffs, averaging 26 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Jaylen Brown follows with 25 points per game.
Betting Trends
The Celtics have won the last 7 games overall and are 6-2 SU in the last 8 home games against the Mavs and 8-0 SU in the last 8 games against teams from the Western Conference. Boston is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams from the Southwest Division, and 2-4 ATS in the last 6 games played on Thursday. The Celtics have played over the total point line in 5 of the last 6 games overall and in 6 of their last 7 home games, while they have played under in 6 of the last 9 games against Dallas and in 4 of their last 5 games played in June. The Mavs are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games overall and 4-2 SU in their last 6 games against teams from the Atlantic Division. They are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games overall, 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games on the road, and 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. Dallas has played over the total point line in 5 of their last 6 games overall and 4 of the last 5 games as underdogs.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Boston Celtics were the best team in the league all year long, and they were seen as the team to come out of the East for the second time in the last three seasons. Things were way more difficult for the Mavericks after they finished the regular season in fifth place in the West and had bumps in the road in the first two series of the playoffs. Luka Doncic has proven that he is one of the best players in the league, and the Mavs are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. The Celtics are the favorites in the series and 6.5-point favorites going into this one. They lost only four games at home in the regular season, and their only two losses in the playoffs were at TD Garden. Boston defeated Dallas by 18.5 points on average in the two games this season and will take the lead in the NBA Finals series by covering the spread tonight.
