The NBA Finals are underway. With the Celtics winning Game 1 in a blowout, can Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks battle their way back? Let's dive into the latest NBA Playoff Picture:
2023-24 NBA Playoff Picture
Eastern Conference Favorite: Boston Celtics -420 To win NBA Championship
Boston has been the most dominant team in the NBA , and as everyone predicted now find themselves four wins away from yet another NBA Championship. Their 64 wins and 122.2 offensive rating both pace the Association.
Jayson Tatum (+115 NBA Finals MVP favorite) is smack dab in the middle of his prime and ready to banish the ghosts of playoff past. Many prognosticators shook their heads when Brad Stevens traded for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Now, those moves look like masterstrokes for the NBA Championship favorites.
The Celtics are undoubtedly the team to beat as they chase their NBA record 18th Championship banner. Joe Mazzula's team has run roughshod through Miami, Cleveland, and Indiana losing a combined two games. Boston leads the NBA playoffs with an incredible +10.8-point differential.
Boston nearly ran the Mavericks off the floor in Game 1, as Kristaps Porzingis returned to light up his former team for 18 first-half points. The Celtics nailed 16 three-pointers to take an early lead in the NBA Finals.
Western Conference Favorite: Dallas Mavericks +330 To win NBA Championship
Dallas shot just 41.7% from the field and 25.9% from three in a disheartening Game 1 NBA Finals loss. Doncic limped his way down the court on multiple occasions and will need to play better defensively for his team to have any hope of pulling off an impossible upset.
That being said, Luka and co. have managed to put the ball in the bucket when it matters most. Doncic (+350 to win NBA Finals MVP) leads the postseason in total points, rebounds, assists.
The Mavericks plethora of shooters, and the all-world presence of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving gives them all the tools to defeat the vaunted Timberwolves. Dallas is now 10-5 ATS in their last 15 games, and 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games on the road. Don't count out the experience Jason Kidd has from an NBA championship run as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Dallas is a spectacular 33-17 ATS away from home this season.
How to Bet on the NBA Playoffs
Now that you've chosen a few teams to make the postseason, you might want to look into other playoff futures and NBA Finals bets -- no worries, because we've got a wealth of information for you to browse through. Handicappers can use our daily NBA Computer Picks to aid in their quest to beat the books. Make sure you place your futures sooner than later, as the closer we get to the end of the regular season, the tighter the odds get.
