The Boston Celtics will again look to close out the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Monday, as Boston eyes its 18th league championship. Boston is tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for most titles with 17 but has not won it all since defeating the Lakers in six games for the 2007-2008 championship. The Mavericks (50-32), who forced a Game 5 with a 122-84 triumph on Friday, are looking to become the first NBA team to rally from a 3-0 series deficit to win a title. The Celtics (64-18), who are 15-3 in the postseason, had a 10-game winning streak snapped in Game 4.
Tip-off from TD Garden in Boston is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Celtics are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Celtics vs. Mavericks odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 209.5. Before making any Mavericks vs. Celtics picks, be sure to check out what legendary SportsLine handicapper Bruce Marshall has to say.
Marshall was synonymous with The Gold Sheet, the famous betting newsletter, for years and his vast array of editorial work has been featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the New York Post and many other outlets. He has won various handicapping titles and also is working on several book projects. Marshall has crushed his NBA picks this season for SportsLine members, entering this matchup on a 197-146-3 run that has returned nearly $3,700 for $100 players. Anybody following is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on Celtics vs. Mavericks and locked in his picks and NBA Finals predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the NBA lines and trends for Mavericks vs. Celtics:
- Mavericks vs. Celtics spread: Boston -6.5
- Mavericks vs. Celtics over/under: 209.5 points
- Mavericks vs. Celtics money line: Dallas +229, Boston -286
- DAL: The Mavericks have hit the second-quarter game total under in 48 of their last 74 games (+19.35 units)
- BOS: The Celtics have hit the fourth-quarter game total under in 63 of their last 93 games (+29.70 units)
- Mavericks vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
After a stinker of a Game 4, the Boston offense looks to return to form. The Celtics are led by small forward Jayson Tatum, who is the team’s main weapon on offense. He is coming off a 15-point, five-rebound, three-assist and two-block performance on Friday. He has produced four double-doubles over the past six games, including an 18-point and 12-assist effort in Game 2. In 18 playoff games, all starts, he is averaging 24.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, six assists and one steal in 40.2 minutes.
Shooting guard Jaylen Brown will look to rebound after scoring 10 points in Game 4, 20 points fewer than he had in Game 3. Prior to Friday’s game, Brown had scored 20 or more points in seven consecutive games. He has reached 20 or more points in 13 of 18 postseason games. In 18 playoff games in 2024, all starts, he is averaging 24.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals. See which team to pick here.
Why the Mavericks can cover
With everything on the line in Game 4, guard Luka Doncic responded with 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Doncic has scored no fewer than 27 points in the series and has registered one double-double and one triple-double in the NBA Finals. In Game 2, he poured in 32 points, while adding 11 boards and 11 assists. In 21 postseason starts, Doncic is averaging 28.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 40.8 minutes.
Guard Kyrie Irving reached double-digit scoring for the 11th consecutive game in Friday’s win. In 31 minutes of action, he scored 21 points, added six assists and four rebounds. He has played well against Boston, averaging 21 points, four assists and three rebounds in the series. In 21 playoff starts, Irving is averaging 22.5 points, five assists, 3.7 rebounds and one steal in 39.9 minutes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Celtics vs. Mavericks picks
Marshall is leaning Over on the point total. He has also identified a critical X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can only see his NBA picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So who wins Mavericks vs. Celtics in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals, and which side of the spread is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Celtics vs. Mavericks spread to jump on, all from the expert who has returned nearly $3,700 on his NBA picks this season, and find out.
