Basketball
NBA Finals 2024 Predictions
The 2024 NBA Finals are underway between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks and the former have already built up a 2-0 lead in the series following their opening two home court fixtures at TD Garden.
Game 1 saw a dominant display from the Celtics who won 107 to 89. It was evident in the game that Dallas struggled to match up with Celtics center, Kristaps Porziņģis, who came off the bench to score 21 points in just 20 minutes. Game 2 was closer, but Boston were still victorious, winning 105-98.
Boston are 1/8 favourites to win the 2024 NBA Championships, and just two wins away from going one step better than their 2022 campaign, where they tasted defeat in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors. However, they must now travel to Dallas’ American Airlines Center for two games where the Mavericks must be encouraged by a better display in Game 2 and a return to their home court.
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Game 3
Looking forward to Game 3, the Dallas Mavericks really must be winning here to still have a chance in the series. They are the money line favourite at 4/5, and -2 on the points spread (10/11), with Boston Celtics 21/20 underdogs and +2 on the points spread (10/11). With the home court advantage and a fully firing Luka Dončić, this is now or never for Dallas. Dončić has been in his usual world-class form so far in the Finals, notching a 30-point double-double in Game 1, following that up in Game 2 with a 32-point triple-double. He’ll have to better that level of performance again here if Dallas are to halve the deficit, however, you would fancy him to do so. He’s cemented himself as one of the best clutch players in the NBA meaning the 5/16 for a double-double and the 12/5 for a triple-double has to be taken into serious consideration.
Despite being slight underdogs in Game 3, the Boston Celtics remain the best team in the NBA this season. The 64-18 winners of the East continued their dominant form into the Playoffs, only dropping two games on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals, before a devastating 4-0 sweep of the Indiana Pacers to book their place in the Finals. They have been a model of consistency throughout the season, and it’s difficult to see it stopping here. The level of star players such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has been there for all to see for years now, but it’s guard Jrue Holiday who has surprised many this year. Earning an inclusion into this years’ Eastern All-Star team, he has been a revelation for the Celtics this year and if they are successful in the Finals, he has played himself into contention for Finals MVP at 5/1.
The remainder of the Finals
As mentioned, the next two games will be in Dallas at the American Airlines Center, giving the Mavericks that crucial home advantage. The advantage of this in the Finals is something different to anything seen in the regular season, especially when trailing by 2 games. If Dallas win Game 3, as they are expected to do, the momentum they’ll take into Game 4 will be massive, meaning Dallas Mavericks +2.5 series handicap (5/4) becomes a live chance.
Dallas do still have it all to do though to prove they are capable of beating Boston, and there are reservations over the 25-16 home court form of the Mavericks this year. It’s become clear that you can’t fully prevent Luka Dončić, but if you can manage him on the defensive end, like they have shown they can with Kyrie Irving, the chances of them running out victors of Game 3 and moving a game away from securing their first ring since 2008 are very strong. If it went to a 3-0 series, it would be hard to see Dallas recovering mentally from a home defeat, and a 4-0 NBA Finals sweep from the Boston Celtics becomes viable at 11/4.
