The Dallas Mavericks return home for Game 3 of the NBA Finals staring at a 2-0 deficit against the Boston Celtics, making Wednesday’s contest effectively a must-win situation. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series, so Dallas has to protect its home floor and show some sign of life to have a chance in the Finals.
Here’s a look at some of our favorite Mavericks player props for Game 3, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kyrie Irving over 2.5 3-pointers (+100)
A 3-0 deficit has never been overcome but Irving knows all about storming back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. He doesn’t want to be in that position again though, and he has largely been responsible for Dallas struggling offensively through the first two games. Irving has not made a single triple in these Finals despite being a 42.1% three-point shooter in these playoffs prior to Game 1. Irving has to bounce back and now that he isn’t playing in front of a hostile Boston crowd, I think he gets going in Game 3.
Luka Doncic triple-double (+235)
After tallying just one assist in Game 1, Doncic managed to dish out 11 assists in Game 2 as part of a 32-point triple-double effort. The rebounding has been there in both games, as has the scoring, so Doncic only really needs to get his teammates going. Role players tend to play better at home, so that means the Mavericks’ peripheral guys should be better in Game 3. Doncic’s usage will continue to be high as the best player on the team and I expect him to come close to this mark again.
Daniel Gafford over 8.5 points (-112)
Gafford managed 13 points in Game 2 and seems most likely to be set up for some easy baskets as the primary pick-and-roll big man with Doncic. He will see Dereck Lively eat into his minutes, but Gafford does offer more offensively and getting him involved should be a point of emphasis for Dallas especially if Kristaps Porzingis is ruled out. After starting slow in the playoffs, Gafford is averaging 11 points per game in the last 14 games. He’s gone over this mark 11 times with two unders coming at eight points. I’ll back him to get to at least nine points Wednesday.