The 2024 NBA Finals are finally here after an extended break for both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, who took care of their conference finals opponents without much of a fuss. The Celtics swept the Pacers, while the Mavericks took down the Timberwolves in five contests. Even though the individual contests were largely decided on the margins, the Celtics and Mavericks made enough plays late to swing the balance in their favor and got some good rest ahead of what should be a hard-fought championship series.
There’s a lot of star power on display in this matchup, which means there will be several contenders to win Finals MVP. Here’s a look at the latest odds to win the honor courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
2024 Finals MVP odds
Jayson Tatum: -115
Luka Doncic: +205
Jaylen Brown: +650
Kyrie Irving: +2200
Kristaps Porzingis: +3500
Derrick White: +3500
Jrue Holiday: +5000
P.J. Washington: +30000
Al Horford: +40000
Derrick Jones Jr: +50000
Tatum remains the favorite, as he has for most of the postseason. The forward’s stats have been solid despite his poor three-point percentage throughout the playoffs. He’s averaging 26 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and is the frontrunner due to his standing as the best player on the best team. Luka Doncic is an interesting play at +205, especially since he’ll likely have a big series if the Mavericks do end up winning. Kyrie Irving, who has hit big shots in the Finals before, offers substantially more value at +2200. I don’t think the gap between Doncic and Irving should be that massive, so the veteran guard might be worth a longshot play.
Perhaps the most interesting longshot play is Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, who is set to return for Game 1 after missing most of the playoffs with a calf strain. Boston has taken care of business without Porzingis, which has allowed the big man to rest. This is a revenge series for him after a failed stint in Dallas, and he could pop off at the perfect time. It’s easy to forget he was averaging 20.1 points per game during the regular season and looked solid against the Heat before his injury. At +3500, the narrative could be there for Porzingis to emerge as the Finals MVP winner.