The Dallas Mavericks managed to stave off elimination with a convincing win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4. Alas, the Mavs are back in Boston for another must-win game in Game 5 on Monday. With at least one game left in the NBA season, there are plenty of sportsbook promos to explore ahead of Game 5. Meanwhile, the US Legal Sports Betting team is here to help with three picks from three of the best betting sites as the Celtics try to seal a championship on Monday night.
NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | June 17
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NBA Best Bets 2023-2024
Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics Best Bet:
Celtics -6.5 | -110 at bet365
Somewhat predictably, the Celtics folded in Game 4 after getting down early. But the same thing isn’t going to happen in Game 5. They probably prefer to win the NBA title on their home floor anyway. That should be good news for the folks using Massachusetts sportsbooks to support the home team. Thus far, the three games that Boston has won in this series have all come by at least seven points. That makes the 6.5-point spread from bet365 a manageable one. Also, don’t forget to check out our bet365 review.
During the playoffs, the Celtics have gone 8-2 at home, which is on par with how dominant they were during the regular season. They also went 5-2-1 against the spread in those eight playoff home playoff wins. With the motivation of wanting to close out the series at home and the pressure off with a comfortable 3-1 series lead, we expect the Celtics to be at their best and win Game 5 convincingly, so we’re not too worried about the spread.
Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics Best Bet:
Under 209.5 | -115 at BetMGM
In all four games of this series, the point total has remained under the pre-game projection. While that over/under has consistently moved down from 217.5 points in Game 1 to 209.5 points for Game 5, it seems foolish to go against the grain now. Of course, feel free to learn more about over/under betting before making this pick.
As far as Game 5 is concerned, the losing team in this series is yet to score 100 points in all four games. In fact, the loser has failed to reach 90 points twice. At the same time, the winner has failed to reach 110 points in all four games. The 206 total points scored in Game 4 was the highest of this series. But since that game was a clear aberration compared to the rest of the series, we expect another low-scoring affair in Game 5. As long as BetMGM is at 209.5 points, we’ll stick with the under. Also, make sure you read our BetMGM Sportsbook review.
Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics Best Bet:
Jayson Tatum Over 2.5 Made Threes | -155 at BetRivers
While Tatum hasn’t been Boston’s best player during the NBA Finals, he hasn’t been shy about hoisting shots. In fact, he’s been more than happy to take a lot of threes throughout the playoffs. Taking a high volume of perimeter shots is why we like Tatum to make at least three in Game 5. He’s going to keep shooting them, and Tatum is too good of a shooter for a few of them not to fall.
Dating back to the conference finals, Tatum has made at least three shots from three-point range in four of his last six games. Game 4 was such an outlier that it’s not taking his 1 for 4 shooting from outside seriously. Before Game 4, Tatum had attempted at least seven three-pointers in 10 straight games. Again, the volume is why we like this bet from BetRivers in Game 5. Also, read our BetRivers Sportsbook review to see how much we like the app.
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NBA News
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NBA Picks & Parlay of the Weekend | June 14
The Boston Celtics are on the verge of winning an NBA championship, leading the Dallas Mavericks 3-0. That makes Friday's Game 4 a must-win game for the Mavericks, who have struggled to keep pace with the Celtics over four quarters throughout the series.
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NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | June 12
The Boston Celtics have won the first two games of the NBA Finals. However, the Dallas Mavericks have a chance to get themselves back in the series when they host Game 3 on Wednesday.
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NBA Picks & Parlay of the Weekend | June 9
The Boston Celtics were dominant in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. However, the Dallas Mavericks have responded to adversity well in the playoffs and will be looking to produce a much better effort in Game 2.
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NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | June 6
The 2024 NBA Finals are set to begin on Thursday, June 6. The Boston Celtics enter the series as the favorite, but the Dallas Mavericks figure to be a challenging underdog after the way they performed throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
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NBA Betting: The Three Most Important Factors That Will Decide the NBA Finals
We are sharing the three factors our NBA experts think will determine how the NBA Finals play out. We will provide the latest odds and insights, giving you everything you need to bet confidently using betting apps during the Finals.
Bryan Zarpentine is a freelance writer and editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and has worked as a freelance writer in the sports and sports betting industries for over a decade. Bryan’s past work has covered a wide array of sports, including MLB, the NFL, college football, college basketball, the NBA, and world soccer.