NBA Playoff Picks 6/6 – Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics

NBA Playoff Picks 6/6 – Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The NBA Finals begin tonight with the Boston Celtics (64-18, 1st in the Eastern Conference) hosting the Dallas Mavericks (50-32, 5th in the Western Conference) at TD Garden on ABC. If Boston defeats Dallas, they’ll secure the franchise’s 18th NBA championship which would be the most for any team in NBA history, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers by one. If Dallas upsets Boston, they would become the first No. 5 seed in NBA history to win the title. 

Boston won both regular season matchups with Dallas, including a 138-110 blowout victory at home in the most recent meeting on March 1. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 32 points in that contest. Dallas scored exactly 110 points in both losses to Boston this season. Boston has won four in a row against Dallas over the last two regular seasons. Boston is a 6.5-point favorite and the total is 215.

HOW DALLAS GOT TO THE FINALS

Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals after ousting the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. The third-seeded Timberwolves entered the Conference Finals on a roll after sweeping the much-ballyhooed Phoenix Suns in the first round and then upsetting the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in Western Conference Semis. But they were no match for Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas stunned the favorite Timberwolves by going up 3-0 in the series and then closed them with a resounding 124-103 Game Five win at Minnesota exactly one week ago tonight. 

After failing to sweep the Timberwolves in Game Four at home, Mavs superstar Luka Doncic came out with a vengeance in Game Five at Minnesota scoring 20 points in the decisive first quarter. Doncic outscored the entire Minnesota team 20-19 in the first quarter as Dallas led 35-19 after one. Dallas’ onslaught continued as they increased their lead to 29 points at halftime and went up by as much as 36 points in the third quarter. Doncic finished the game with 36 points (14-22 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals across 37 minutes. Kyrie Irving also scored 36 points (14-27 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 4-4 FT) for Dallas in the win. 

NBA Playoff Picks 6/6 – Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics

Luka Doncic scored 30 or more points in four of the five games against Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals and finished the series with averages of 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 4.6 threes on 47.3 percent shooting from the floor and 43.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Doncic was named the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP after a scintillating performance throughout the Western Conference playoffs where he averaged 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.4 threes across 17 appearances. Doncic has also posted six triple-doubles in the postseason.

The February trade deadline acquisitions of Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington and Washington Wizards center Daniel Gafford have also been key in the Dallas’ somewhat unexpected run to the 2024 NBA Finals. After spending most of their careers toiling on bad teams, Washington and Gafford have been terrific with Dallas. Both players combine to provide an ample amount of shooting, scoring, rebounding, athleticism and defense that has meshed perfectly with the superb skill sets of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Dallas is playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 when they upset the Miami Heat and won the franchise’s first NBA title. It’s also their third finals appearance in franchise history. Dallas’ head coach Jason Kidd was a player on the 2011 Mavs team that won the title. If Dallas can upset Boston, Kidd will become the sixth person to win an NBA title as a player and coach with the same team.   

HOW BOSTON GOT TO THE FINALS

The Boston Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. This wasn’t the typical sweep as Indiana led or was tied with Boston in the final minute of three games. Boston needed a last-second three-pointer from Jaylen Brown to force overtime in winning Game One and needed back-to-back fourth quarter rallies to pull out Games Three and Four in Indiana. They won both games in Indiana by three points each – 114-111 in Game Three and 105-102 in Game Four. Boston has had 10 days off since completing the sweep on May 27. We’ll see whether they’ve gained rest or rust with the extended period of time off. 

Boston had a relatively easy time getting to the NBA Finals after defeating three injury-depleted teams. In the first round, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler – who torched the Celtics and eliminated them in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals – missed the entire series as Boston dispatched of them in five games. In the East semis, Cleveland was without superstar Donovan Mitchell for two games while starting center Jarrett Allen missed the entire series as Boston eliminated the Cavs in five games. Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton missed the final two games of Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. 

NBA Playoff Picks 6/6 – Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics

Despite the fact that Boston may have caught a break with injuries to opposing players in the postseason, they still maintained the same level of dominance they exhibited during a 64-win regular season. Boston went 12-2 in the Eastern Conference playoffs and won all six of their road games. They’re also bringing a seven-game winning streak into the NBA Finals.

The All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum (26 pts, 10.4 rebs, 5.9 asts, 1.1 stls, 2.1 threes in 14 gms) and Jaylen Brown (25 pts, 6.1 rebs, 1.1 stls, 2 threes, 54.1% from 2 in 14 gms) have put up similar numbers in leading Boston through the postseason. Brown averaged 29.8 ppg in the sweep of Indiana and was named the Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP. Guard Derrick White (17.8 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.4 threes) has increased his production in the postseason in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis. 

Star center Kristaps Porzingis will return for Game One tonight. He went down with a right calf strain in Game 4 of Boston’s opening round series against Miami on April 29. The injury caused Porzingis to miss Boston’s last 8 playoff games. His presence on the court could be icing on the cake for a Boston team that still looked dominant without him. 

THE PICK: CELTICS (-6.5)

I think the return of a healthy Porzingis will make a huge difference in Game 1 and the entire series. Lay the Points and take the Celtics tonight!

NBA Playoff Picks 6/6 – Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics