Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Preview
Heading into game two of the NBA Finals, the Celtics lead the series 1-0. As the one seed in the East, the Celtics will host the 5th-seeded Mavericks at the TD Garden in Boston. Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM ET. The over/under line is currently at 214.5 points, and the Celtics are favored by -7.
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Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Last season, the Mavericks and Celtics did not face off head-to-head. When looking back over the last three times these two teams have played, the Celtics have the leg up at 3-0. The Celtics also had the edge vs. the spread in these games, at 3-0. These games averaged a combined total of 224 points per game leading to an over/under record of 1-2.
- Across the Mavericks last ten road games, the team averaged 106 points per game while allowing 103. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 7-3, while going 7-3 straight-up.
- Through their last five home games, Boston has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 5-0 while averaging 107 points per game.
- Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the underdog, the Mavericks have a straight up record of 7-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 7-3.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Celtics have a straight up record of 9-1. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.
Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction
Boston picked up a big win in the most recent game of this Celtics vs. Mavericks series, winning by a score of 107-89. The Celtics got out to an early lead, outscoring the Mavericks 37-20 in the first quarter. Boston was favored by 6.5 points heading into the game and easily covered the spread. The 196 combined points were 21.5 points less than the over/under line of 217.5.
Defensively, the Celtics held the Mavericks to just 41.7% shooting from the field and only seven made threes. Luka Doncic was the leading scorer for the Mavericks with 30 points, followed by Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis who each had 22 and 20 points, respectively.
Dallas is 18-21 as the underdog this season and has gone 21-18 ATS as the underdog. In games as the underdog, their scoring margin is -4.4 points per game. On the road, they are 32-19 straight-up and 34-17 ATS.
On average, the Mavericks’ games have seen 229.4 points scored, which is higher than today’s O/U line of 214.5. This season, 88 of their games have had higher O/U lines than 214.5.
In their last game against the Celtics, the Mavericks lost 107-89. They were 6.5-point underdogs in that game. The O/U line was 217.5, and the teams combined for just 196 points.
Dallas is currently 5th in the Western Conference with a record of 50-32. Against the West, they are 31-21 and 19-11 in non-conference games. The Mavericks are 1st in the Southwest Division.
This season, the Mavericks are 59-41 ATS and have gone 38-23 ATS as the favorite. Their O/U record for the season is 46-54, and their games have averaged 230.8 points per game.
For the season, Luka Doncic is averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds. Over his last five games, he has hit 43.6% of his threes and averaged 4.8 made threes per game. In this stretch, he is averaging 31.8 points per game. Kyrie Irving is averaging 25.6 points for the season and 2.4 made threes per game over his last five games.
Dallas is 4th in three-point attempts this season, at 39.5 per game, and are among the league leaders in three-point shooting percentage. On average, they have hit 14.6 threes per game. Overall, they are 11th in field goal percentage. The Mavericks’ scoring average for the year is 117.9 points per game, which is 9th in the league.
On the season, the Dallas Mavericks are giving up 113.6 points per game, which is 16th in the NBA. When playing on the road, they are allowing 113.8 points per game, which is also 15th in the league.
Over the last five games, Dallas has been even better on the defensive end, giving up just 106 points per game, which is 6th in the NBA during that span.
One area where the Mavericks have struggled this season is in terms of steals, as they are just 25th in the league in that category. However, they have been solid in terms of blocked shots, ranking 14th in the NBA.
The Celtics have won eight straight games and are 64-18 overall, which is the best record in the Eastern Conference. In their last game against the Mavericks, the Celtics won 107-89 and covered the spread as 6.5-point favorites.
In games against Western Conference teams, the Celtics are 23-7 compared to 41-11 against the East. Against the spread on the road, they are 22-23, while going 27-21 at home.
This season, the Celtics have been favored in 93 of their 82 games and have a record of 75-18 as the favorite. As the favorite, they have won eight straight games and have an ATS record of 47-42.
Boston’s O/U record for the season is 51-45-1, and their games have averaged 227 points per game. Today’s O/U line of 214.5 is lower than their season average of 226.5.
Coming into tonight’s game, the Celtics are the NBA’s second-ranked scoring offense, at 120.6 points per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 121.5 points per contest. Boston also leads the league in three-point shooting percentage, at 38%, and in three-pointers made per game, at 16.5.
Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.2 points per game over his last five games, while shooting 52.5% from the field. In these games, he hit 2.4 threes per contest. Jayson Tatum averaged 27.4 points in that stretch, to go along with 10.4 rebounds and 6 assists. Overall, both players are averaging over 23 points per game.
So far this season, the Celtics have been the third-best defense in the NBA, allowing just 107.9 points per game. They have been particularly strong at home, where they are giving up just 107.0 points per game, which is the fourth-best mark in the league.
One of the reasons for Boston’s success on defense has been their ability to limit opponents’ free-throw attempts. On the season, they are giving up just 16.6 made free throws per game, which is the best mark in the league.
Over their last five games, the Celtics have been even better at defending the three-point line, allowing opponents to shoot just 31.6% from beyond the arc. For the season, they are 12th in three-point shooting percentage allowed at 34.6%.
Despite being 7 point underdogs, we predict the Mavericks to come out on top with a final score of 143-141.
Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Betting Tips
- We like the Mavericks on the moneyline (+220)
- The Mavericks are also our pick on the spread at +7
- Projecting a combined 284 points, we like the over
Boston Celtics Injury Report
No Injuries Reported
Dallas Mavericks Injury Report
No Injuries Reported
