The Dallas Mavericks march into TD Garden to square off against the Boston Celtics for Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Thursday evening. Dallas has gone 32-18 on the road throughout the entire season. Meanwhile, Boston is 43-6 on its home court. The Mavericks enter Game 1 full of confidence after winning six of their last seven games. The Celtics have won seven consecutive games and they're 8-0 in their past eight meetings against an opponent from the Western Conference.
Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston. The latest Mavericks vs. Celtics odds from SportsLine consensus list Boston as 6.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 216.5. Before locking in any Celtics vs. Mavericks picks for the 2024 NBA Finals, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model entered the 2024 NBA Finals on a sizzling 94-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Mavs and just locked in its picks and NBA Finals predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Mavs vs. Celtics:
- Celtics vs. Mavericks spread: Boston -6.5
- Celtics vs. Mavericks over/under: 216.5 points
- Celtics vs. Mavericks money line: Boston -250, Dallas +200
- BOS: The total has gone Over in five of Boston's past six games
- DAL: The Mavericks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against Boston
- Celtics vs. Mavericks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Mavericks can cover
Guard Kyrie Irving will be extremely locked in this series against his former team. Irving is a sound floor general who has the firepower to get a bucket from any spot on the court. In the 2024 NBA playoffs, Irving is averaging 22.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per contest. In the Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, he finished with 36 points and five assists.
Center Dereck Lively II has provided Dallas with an athletic force in the frontcourt. Lively sets stout screens and soars high for alley-oops or high-percentage shots in the lane. The Duke product is coming off an exceptional series against Minnesota. He put up 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in the Western Conference finals. Lively also shot a perfect 100% from the field in the entire series. See which team to pick here.
Why the Celtics can cover
The Celtics' biggest advantage is they have multiple shot-creators and proven playmakers. They are first among playoff teams in 3-pointers made (14.6) and 3-point percentage (39.8%). The Celtics also have four players averaging double-digit points per game in the postseason.
Superstar Jayson Tatum has a variety of moves including a reliable jumper from the perimeter. The Duke product heads into the 2024 NBA Finals playing great basketball. In the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, Tatum logged 30.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. On May 25, he notched 36 points, 10 boards, eight dimes, and made five 3-pointers. He has recorded 30-plus points four times in the 2024 NBA playoffs. See which team to pick here.
How to make Mavericks vs. Celtics picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 220 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model's NBA playoff picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Mavericks, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is 94-61 on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.