NBA Playoffs 2023/24, NBA Finals, Game 1, Friday, 07.06.2024
I’ll break down Game 1 of the NBA Finals for you in my Celtics Mavericks betting tip on what matters in my eyes. On top of that, you’ll also get a betting tip suitable for bookmakers as well as recommendations for free bets on the upcoming EURO.
In a nutshell: The Celtics should actually have the potential to win, but they often fail in crunch time and are now up against a team that has nerves of steel in just such situations
Both teams have been able to get a strong team out of the way in their respective conference finals.
So it’s fair to say that these two franchises have earned their ticket to the NBA Finals just as much as our readers have earned only the best European Championship bonus offers.
The Mavericks only had to play five games against the Timberwolves (3:1), who had eliminated the defending champions in the previous round.
The Celtics, on the other hand, had no problem at all with the Pacers. Indiana was dispatched 4-0, with Game 3 & 4 going to Boston by just three points each.
The bookies were my first port of call to look for suitable betting patterns. Their Celtics Mavericks odds confirmed what I had already secretly suspected.
The quality of play of the Celtics and their performance in the regular season certainly justifies an average odds ratio of 1.50 to 2.65 in favor of the C’s.
But can they also deliver against such an unpleasant opponent? The Mavericks added a cog to their gears at the start of the season with the acquisition of Kyrie Irving, which has helped them to wins in games they would have narrowly lost in the previous season.
What the Pacers didn’t deal with at all in the semifinal series against Boston was having to cover multiple opposing superstars at once. This will also push the Mavs to their own limits.
Jaylen Brown is an athletic two-way difference maker for the Celtics. The guard is an accurate shooter and also has the ability to score off the dribble.
The Californian certainly did an outstanding job against Indiana with finishes around the perimeter.
In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Brown is averaging 25 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game so far. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers, he scored at least 26 points in every game. Will he step on the gas against Dallas?
Guard Derrick White is another capable force in the backcourt for the Green and White. White has a reliable shot from beyond the three-point line, but also gets his teammates involved. The 29-year-old moves without the ball to create good scoring opportunities.
White averages 17.8 points, 4.6 assists and hits 40.7% of his three-point shots. I would also recommend him for a player bet in Game 1, as he is one of the C’s most eye-catching players.
By the way: On May 23 against the Pacers, White finished the game with 23 points and six assists.
The starting position: With their impressive squad quality, Boston are under immense pressure to finally win the championship. They have been considered the strongest team in the East on paper for years, but have yet to achieve major success.
One of their main problems is their crunch-time performance. Their nerves often fail them at crucial moments in the game, especially in the fourth quarter. Poor shot selection and ineffective iso-dribbling have been a recurring theme.
This season, the Celtics have been fortunate that teams like the Pacers and Cavaliers have not been strong enough to consistently exploit these weaknesses. But it will be a different story against a team like the Dallas Mavericks …
Dallas has two players in Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving who are virtually unstoppable, especially in crunch time. If the game gets tight in the last five minutes, it would be advisable to bet on the Mavericks. Boston has let up too often in such situations.
It is crucial for the Celtics this year to take the final step in their development and finally win the championship. To do so, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in particular will have to deliver reliably in crunch time.
While I don’t begrudge either team success, Dallas only found their rhythm a few months ago and still have a lot of potential for the future. They don’t necessarily have to win the championship now.
For Boston, on the other hand, the pressure is enormous – they are almost doomed to win the title, which I personally perceive as an additional obstacle …
Conclusion: The upcoming opener between the Celtics and Mavericks promises excitement and intensity.
Although the C’s are superior in many aspects, mental toughness will be crucial. The Mavericks have already proven that they can deliver in crunch time, which presents their opponents with an additional challenge.
In addition, the Celtics are under enormous pressure of expectation, which increases the tension for the hosts even further. In view of the odds, I am personally prepared to send the visitors on their way with a small cushion, which they should successfully save over time.
My Celtics Mavericks betting tip is therefore: With a handicap of +6.5, the Mavericks will win
