The Boston Celtics will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead when they battle the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Sunday. Boston raced out to a 17-point advantage after one quarter and cruised to a 107-89 win in Game 1. The Mavericks (50-32), the fifth seed in the Western Conference, are 12-6 in the postseason after ousting three of the top four seeds in the West. The Celtics (64-18), the top seed in the Eastern Conference, are 13-2 during the postseason, and have a league-best plus-10.5 point differential. It is the largest playoff point differential since the Golden State Warriors had a plus-13.5 in 2016-2017.
Tipoff from TD Garden in Boston is set for 8 p.m. ET. Boston leads the all-time series 47-40, including a 1-0 edge during the postseason. The Celtics are 7-point favorites in the latest Mavericks vs. Celtics odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 214.5. Before making any Celtics vs. Mavericks picks for Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, be sure to check out what legendary handicapper Bruce Marshall has to say.
Marshall, who for years was synonymous with the Gold Sheet, a famed sports betting newsletter, is an in-demand guest on numerous sports talk radio and TV shows across the country. Marshall’s vast array of editorial work has been featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the New York Post and many other outlets.
He has won various handicapping titles and also has emerged as a top analyst for SportsLine. Marshall has crushed his NBA picks this season for SportsLine members, entering this matchup on a 196-145 run that has returned nearly $3,700 for $100 players. Anyone following him already has seen massive returns.
Now, he has set his sights on Mavericks vs. Celtics and locked in his picks and NBA Finals predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Celtics vs. Mavericks:
- Mavericks vs. Celtics spread: Boston -7
- Mavericks vs. Celtics over/under: 214.5 points
- Mavericks vs. Celtics money line: Dallas +220, Boston -273
- DAL: The Mavericks have hit the money line in 32 of their last 50 away games (+16.35 units)
- BOS: The Celtics have hit the first-half money line in 37 of their last 44 games (+28.40 units)
- Mavericks vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
Center Kristaps Porzingis returned for Game 1 of the series and was a dominant force against his former team. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks in just 21 minutes of action. He scored 24 points against the Mavericks in his lone appearance against them during the regular season. In five postseason games, including four starts, he is averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.4 assists and one steal in 25.2 minutes.
Small forward Jayson Tatum is Boston’s main weapon on offense. He is coming off his third consecutive double-double, finishing Game 1 with 16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and one block. He has dominated Dallas in the past and in two regular season games this year, averaged 35.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, four assists, 1.5 steals and one block. In 15 playoff starts, he is averaging 25.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and one steal in 40.6 minutes. See which team to pick here.
Why the Mavericks can cover
Point guard Luka Doncic registered his second consecutive double-double and reached 30 or more points for the ninth time this postseason in Game 1. He finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. In two regular-season games against Boston, he averaged 35 points, 12 assists and one steal. In 18 postseason games, all starts, Doncic is averaging 28.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.7 steals in 41.3 minutes.
Point guard Kyrie Irving reached double-digit scoring for the eighth consecutive game in Thursday’s loss. In 37 minutes of action, he scored 12 points, grabbed three rebounds and had two steals and two assists. He has played well against Boston this season. In two regular-season games, he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal in 36.5 minutes. In 18 postseason starts, Irving is averaging 22.2 points, five assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 40.1 minutes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Celtics vs. Mavericks picks
Marshall is leaning Over on the point total. He has also identified a critical X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Mavericks vs. Celtics in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, and which side of the spread is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Celtics vs. Mavericks spread to jump on, all from the expert who has returned nearly $3,700 on his NBA picks this season, and find out.
