NBA Expert Picks and Best Bets | June 6

It's been a long wait since the end of the Conference Finals, but the NBA Finals are set to get underway on Thursday night. The Boston Celtics are the series favorites and will be hosting the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1. With both teams just four wins away from a championship, now is a great time to check out sportsbook promos to find the latest bonus and boost opportunities. The US Legal Sports Betting team is also here to help you get prepared for the Finals by sharing our three favorite bets for Game 1.

Celtics -6.5 | -110 at bet365

The hometown fans using Massachusetts sportsbooks to back the Celtics should feel confident heading into Game 1. The Celtics have absolutely crushed the spread twice in their three series openers during the playoffs. Keep in mind this was a team that was nearly unbeatable at home during the regular season. The spread from bet365 is more than reasonable for us to swallow the points. Don’t forget to read our bet365 review.

Admittedly, the Mavericks have been impressive throughout the playoffs, including a 6-1 record against the spread as an underdog. But even after beating the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves to win the Western Conference, playing the Celtics is a step up in competition. The Mavs have also had a long layoff - as have the Celtics - so a lot of the momentum they may have had during the conference finals is gone. Considering the 28-point win for the Celtics when the Mavs visited Boston during the regular season, we expect Boston to take care of business at home.

Kyrie Irving Under 23.5 Points | -120 at BetMGM

There is a little extra pressure on Irving in this series since he spent two seasons playing for the Celtics. That pressure combined with the long layoff could be bad news in Game 1. To his credit, Irving stepped up during the Western Conference Finals, scoring at least 30 points in three of five games. But he’s also been held to 20 points or less in seven of 17 playoff games. That indicates that a poor Game 1 is possible.

Don’t forget that Boston will have some quality defensive players on Irving, knowing that he’s a huge key for the Mavericks. Some combination of Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White will be on him at all times. The Celtics will switch the defender on him to throw Irving off his rhythm. BetMGM is listing 23.5 points as his over/under and we remain skeptical of Irving getting anywhere close to that. Make sure you learn more in our BetMGM Sportsbook review.

Al Horford Over 12.5 Points + Rebounds | -103 at BetRivers

There is a host of player combo bets at BetRivers. If you want to find out more about BetRivers, read our BetRivers sportsbook review. The combo bet we like the most involves Horford because the number is so low. During the playoffs, he’s averaging just under 10 points and over seven rebounds per game, so this is a number he should hit easily.

The caveat is that Horford’s minutes could come down if Kristaps Porzingis is back in the lineup. But Porzinigis may not play, and even if he does, Horford is still Boston’s best option inside. He’s gone over 12.5 points in three of his last five games and has at least six rebounds in six of his last seven games. Those trends make us confident that Horford can easily surpass 12.5 points and rebounds in Game 1.