The 2024 NBA Finals continue Monday as the series shifts back to TD Garden with the Boston Celtics hoping to close out the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5. The Celtics had the opportunity to sweep Dallas but fell flat in Game 4 as the Mavericks poured on the points in a blowout win. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs but Dallas now has some belief after registering its first win of these Finals.
Luka Doncic will continue to play through what is now being listed as a chest injury. He’s officially probable. Kristaps Porzingis was listed as available for Game 4 but was only going to be used in specific situations per head coach Joe Mazzulla. He’s considered questionable for Game 5 and will likely end up having the same type of designation.
The Celtics are 6.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook and the total is set at 209.5. Boston is -250 on the moneyline while Dallas is +205.
Mavericks vs. Celtics, 8:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Celtics -6.5
The Mavericks might have found some of their mojo after a huge Game 4 victory, but they’ve been inconsistent in this series and now have to win a road game to keep the series alive. Boston put up an all-time stinker in Game 4, losing on the road for the first time in these playoffs. The Celtics might’ve been looking ahead to closing the series out at home and should be able to put on a better effort in front of their home fans.
Kyrie Irving’s struggles in Boston have been well documented, and the veteran point guard can’t seem to shake the pressure of that environment. The Celtics simply won’t shoot that poorly again from the floor, while the Mavericks will likely revert back to their floundering selves offensively. Give me the Celtics to wrap up the title at home Monday evening. Boston has covered the spread in each of its wins in the series so far.
Over/Under: Under 209.5
Every game in this series has gone under its listed total, and all four games have also gone under this line. The Mavericks finally topped 100 points in Game 4, but that was largely due to the role players finally hitting shots. They haven’t been able to do that in TD Garden, and Irving’s poor showings there have already been mentioned. Boston should bounce back a bit offensively after a down showing, but the Celtics will also lock in defensively being their home crowd and limit Dallas. I’ll take the under to hit once again.