Following a dominant NBA Finals Game 1 win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Boston Celtics are three wins away from their first championship since 2008. Tonight, they can trim that number to two with a Game 2 victory at TD Garden (8:00 pm ET, ABC).
In Thursday’s opener in Boston, things were close early. But the Celtics finished the first quarter on a 23-5 run, turning a one-point deficit into a 17-point lead. That set the Eastern Conference champions on their way to a 107-89 victory and a 1-0 series lead.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Celtics followed up a resounding Game 1 win with a dud of a Game 2 performance, but they got things right in the Eastern Conference finals, where they went up 2-0 at home before breaking out the brooms against the Indiana Pacers.
Which version of the Celtics will we see in Game 2 against the Mavericks? Dallas is in need of a stirring response after struggling Thursday, but they will have to do with Luka Doncic not at 100 percent due to a variety of injuries, including a chest contusion.
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s series decider.
Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.
With the Celtics, there is always the concern that they will decide that prospering isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be and they would rather do things the hard way.
Occasionally, they can ride the wave in one game, as was the case in Game 1. In the third quarter, they led by 24, then 8, then 22. That is the best and worst of the Boston Celtics Experience inside a 12-minute nutshell.
But it seems that, at least to some level, something clicked for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. That doesn’t really mean much for their matchup with the Mavericks, because the previous quarter doesn’t even mean much when it comes to the Boston Celtics Experience. But for the sake of evaluating the Celtics like anyone else, there’s a lot of reason to feel good about Boston’s ability to follow up their Game 1 performance with another convincing win over the Mavericks. They are the better team, and while some things are up for debate, that isn’t one of them, whether Doncic is 50, 75, or 100 percent.
Best Player Prop Bets for Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics Game 2
Jayson Tatum (Celtics) over 27.5 points (-106 at BetOnline) & over 42.5 points + rebounds + assists (+105 at Bovada)
In Game 1, Tatum had as many turnovers (six) as made field goals and scored only 16 points (6 of 16 FG, 3 of 7 3PT, 1 of 2 FT) in 42 minutes. It was just the 13th time in 89 games this season that Tatum fell short of the 20-point mark. Fortunately, his scoring wasn’t needed with the Celtics in control most of the way.
Look for him to bounce back in a big way in that department while also delivering in other areas, which he did in Game 1 to the tune of 11 rebounds and five assists.
Where to Bet on Mavericks vs Celtics
Are you interested in betting on NBA Finals odds? Many of the top online sportsbooks will have a variety of odds for the NBA Finals, ranging from game odds, futures odds, and prop bets.
Throughout the season, in addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.
Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.
There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:
What if you don’t have an account at a book on this list? Check out our sportsbook reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.
Looking to make some player prop picks for the series? Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).
Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?
Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.
Did you enjoy this look at Mavericks vs Celtics Game 2? We have plenty of content dedicated to the NBA Finals and more is to come, so bookmark the site so you don’t miss out on any of what is in store.
Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok. On each of those channels, you can get more NBA playoffs betting insight from myself and the rest of our team.
