The NBA Finals have officially begun. The Celtics dominated the Mavericks in Game 1, winning 107-89. They’ll be aiming to avoid another Game 2 disappointment that would allow Dallas to claim homefield advantage down the stretch of the series. The Mavericks need an offensive explosion to keep up with Boston.
Before Betting on Mavericks vs Celtics
The Mavericks really struggled in Game 1 against the Celtics. As a team, Dallas scored just 89 points. They had a ton of trouble with Boston’s defense, especially with the interior defense of the newly-returned Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the entire Eastern Conference Finals due to injury. For the Mavericks to bounce back and have a chance, they need far better ball movement on offense. Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving combined for just 3 assists, and Irving shot an abysmal 6-19 with a game-low -19. He needs to improve in Game 2.
Boston looked every bit like the team with the best record in the NBA on Thursday, defeating the Mavericks by 18 points. It was a complete team effort, especially on defense. Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis did an excellent job of matching Luka’s size on defense, and Jayson Tatum had Kyrie Irving completely locked up. On the other hand, Boston’s offense has yet to hit its stride. If the offense heats up as well, the Celtics may run away with this series, but if they don’t the Mavs could take advantage.
Mavericks vs Celtics Offshore Odds
The Celtics have played their worst postseason basketball in Game 2s of the series they played, but shouldn’t be counted out on that alone. It’s unlikely the whole series is as unbalanced as Game 1 was, but Boston will continue to hold a notable advantage over Dallas, especially at home. The Celtics should run up the score once again in Game 2, heading to Dallas next week with a 2-0 series lead.
