The 5-seed Mavericks head back to Boston to face the 1-seed Celtics on Monday night at 8:30 PM ET on ABC. It’s Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals Finals. Can the Mavericks cover the 6.5-point spread as road underdogs? Keep reading for our Mavericks vs. Celtics betting prediction.
Boston leads the series 3-1.
The Dallas Mavericks went 50-32 straight up in the regular season and are 13-8 straight up and 12-8-1 ATS in the postseason this year. The Mavericks are 60-42-1 ATS this season.
The Boston Celtics went 64-18 straight up in the regular season and are 15-3 straight up and 9-8-1 ATS in the postseason this year. The Celtics are 50-44-6 ATS this season.
Mavericks vs. Celtics Matchup & Betting Odds
509 Dallas Mavericks (+6.5) at 510 Boston Celtics (-6.5); o/u 209.5
8:30 p.m. ET, Monday, June 17, 2024
TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV: ABC
Mavericks vs. Celtics Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 61% of public bettors are currently backing the Mavericks when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Dallas Mavericks Daily Fantasy Spin
Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic is probable to play on Monday night with a thoracic contusion. That injury is more commonly known as a chest bruise. Doncic received pain-killing injections to that area ahead of Games 2 and 3 and stated that he would “probably” receive another shot before Game 4. It’s unclear whether he will need another shot before Game 5. Doncic has also been battling a sprained right knee and left ankle soreness throughout these playoffs. The Slovenian national is averaging 28.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest across 21 postseason games this year.
Boston Celtics Daily Fantasy Spin
Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is officially listed as questionable for Monday’s Game 5 due to a lower leg injury. That specific injury has caused him to miss Games 3 and 4 of these NBA Finals. Porzingis missed more than a month earlier in these playoffs due to an unrelated calf strain. In 6 playoff contests in 2024, Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. The Latvian big man will likely be a game-time decision on Monday night.
Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Betting Trends
Dallas is 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games against Boston,
Dallas is an NBA-worst 24-37-3 ATS in non-conference games since the start of last season.
Boston is 30-23 ATS after a loss this season.
Boston is 27-21-3 ATS as a home favorite this season.
Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Prediction:
Despite getting blown out in Game 4 on Friday, I still believe that Boston is the better team in this series. The Celtics lost on the road to the Mavericks 122-84 on Friday night in a game where seemingly everything went wrong for Boston, and everything went right for Dallas. That game was likely an outlier.
The Celtics have a bevy of numbers on their side when it comes to handicapping this contest. Boston is 19-13-2 ATS in non-conference games and 27-21-3 ATS as the home team this season. What’s more, the Celtics are 11-7-2 ATS when playing on 2 or 3 days of rest and 48-42-6 ATS as a favorite this season.
One final number should drive the point home for Boston. Celtics star Jayson Tatum was selected with the third pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. Since the start of the 2017 season, Boston is 61-50-1 in playoff games. That’s the fourth-best record in the league during that stretch and the most ATS wins of any team over that span. I think Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the Celtics close out the series with an emphatic and decisive home win on Monday night. I’m laying the points with Boston in this one.