Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Thursday night, and it will be the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Boston Celtics. Boston is a big betting favorite to win the series, but Dallas has been playing great basketball in the postseason.
Dallas is representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, and they entered the postseason as the number five seed. The Mavericks pulled off three straight upsets to get to this point, and they have a ton of momentum.
Boston has been the best team in the NBA all season long, and they are looking to finish the year on top as well. The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and they got a ton of extra rest.
The Boston Celtics are 6.5-point betting favorites in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and the over/under is set at 214.5 total points.
Dynamic Duo Leading Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have tried many different players to pair with Luka Doncic, and it’s pretty clear that Kyrie Irving was the best possible choice. These two players have combined for more than 50 points per game in the postseason, and that has allowed the Mavericks to go on this big run.
Dallas is going to need some of the other players to step up, and P.J. Washington is the third-leading scorer at 13.6 points per game. The Mavericks are not an elite offensive team, but they can be tough when they are making shots.
The Mavericks are going to have to find a way to defend the two stars for Boston, and that has been a challenge all season long.
Celtics Looking to Defend
The Boston Celtics had to turn up the defense to win the Eastern Conference Finals, and that will need to carry over into this matchup. Boston will need to find a way to protect the paint, but they should give the Mavericks trouble on the perimeter.
Playing at home in the series opener will also give them a boost from the home crowd as it should be a raucous environment. When Boston has the ball on offense, there will be three players to watch for this team.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both scoring over 25 points per game for the Celtics, and they continue to torment opposing teams. The Celtics can make shots in bunches, and they will be tough if they get hot.
Dallas Battles Hard in Defeat
This should be a terrific NBA Finals Series, and there are a number of storylines that are going to be built up around it. Kyrie Irving is making his return to Boston, and he should play well in an extremely hostile environment.
Dallas is going to win a game in this series, but they are going to be facing a Celtics team that has been nearly unbeatable at home this season. The Celtics just have so many offensive weapons on their team, and that will be the difference in this game.
Take the 6.5 points and back the Dallas Mavericks in this matchup, but the Boston Celtics will take Game 1.
