NBA Finals 2024: 28 Betting Trends & Interesting Facts Before Game 1

Before we get into some NBA Finals betting trends and Game 1 facts, this article is brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from NBA postseason betting odds to the UFC and everything in between.

The 2024 NBA Finals are finally here, pitting the Dallas Mavericks against the Boston Celtics in this year’s championship matchup. It’s shaping up to be a superstar-filled showdown as Luka Doncic aims to strike gold in his first Finals appearance while Jayson Tatum and the Celtics aim to taste some glory after coming up short two years ago.

As of Thursday afternoon, BetOnline has given the Celtics -225 odds of winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy, making them the favorites. On the other hand, the Mavericks have opened the series as +195 underdogs. These odds are subject to change as the series progresses, but they provide insight into who the oddsmakers favor.

It is important to take into account historical NBA betting trends because odds alone do not always accurately predict the outcome of a series.

Considering this, we will now examine some notable NBA Finals betting patterns and intriguing Game 1 statistics.

NBA Finals Historical Betting Trends

• Since the start of the 2000-01 season, the Western Conference has emerged victorious in the NBA Finals with an impressive record of 16 wins and 8 losses, boasting a success rate of 66.7%. Remarkably, Western teams have clinched the championship title in seven out of the last ten seasons, including the two most recent championships.
• Out of the last 11 Finals, the higher seed has won 7 out of 11 games, resulting in a winning percentage of 68.2%. On the other hand, the team with the superior regular-season record has emerged victorious in 9 out of 11 games, giving them an impressive success rate of 81.8%. Interestingly, this year’s Finals will only be the third occasion in the last 12 matchups where the Eastern team, Boston, holds the better record.
• Out of the most recent 10 NBA Finals, the average number of games played was 5.6, with only one of those series (2018) resulting in a complete sweep. In five out of the last six championship series, the games concluded after exactly six matches.
• Since 1991, only two No. 5 seeds have made it to the NBA Finals: the Mavericks, who accomplished this feat, and the 2020 Miami Heat team, who unfortunately lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Over the past decade, No. 1 seeds have recorded a 61.7% winning percentage (29-18) and a 53.2% ATS (against the spread) record (25-22) in the championship round.
• Since the 1990-91 NBA Finals, The Under has a record of 105 wins, 73 losses, and 4 ties. In last year’s matchup, The Under had an impressive 4 wins and only 1 loss.
• Since 2013, the home team has a win-loss record of 31-26, which equates to a success rate of 54.4%. In terms of against the spread (ATS) performance, they have a record of 27-29-1, accounting for a 48.2% success rate.

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Mavericks NBA Finals Facts

• In their 44-year existence, the Mavericks, who joined the league in 1980, have only made it to two NBA Finals.
• The Mavericks made their debut in the 2006 Finals, where they were defeated by the Miami Heat in a six-game series.
• In 2011, the Mavericks made a comeback to the NBA Finals for a rematch against the Heat. This time, they emerged victorious with a 4-2 win, and Dirk Nowitzki was awarded the prestigious MVP title.
• The Mavericks have a record of 6 wins and 6 losses in the championship round of the NBA postseason.

Celtics NBA Finals Facts

• In 78 years, the Celtics have established themselves as one of the most legendary franchises in the league, having made it to 22 NBA Finals.
• The Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers currently share the record for the highest number of NBA championships in history, both having won a total of 17 titles.
• However, the Celtics have failed to secure a victory in their previous two showings (2010, 2022).
• Among teams that have played at least 30 games, the Celtics share the third-highest winning percentage (58.5%, 79-56) in the NBA Finals.

Mavericks vs Celtics Betting Trends

• Over the years, the Mavericks and Celtics have had a total of 86 encounters, with Boston emerging victorious in 46 of those matchups.
• In the 18 games played against the Mavericks since the 2015-16 season, the Celtics have won 11 games and covered the spread 7 times.
• In the previous 18 Dallas-Boston matchups, the Under has a record of 8 wins, 7 losses, and 2 ties.
• The Mavericks and Celtics have never faced each other in the postseason until now.
• In their previous four encounters with the Mavericks, the Celtics emerged victorious, surpassing them by an average of 19.8 PPG.

NBA Finals Game 1 Betting Trends & Facts

• In the past 10 Game 1s of the NBA Finals, the home team has been dominant, boasting a 9-1 SU/8-2 ATS record and an impressive plus-13.4 average scoring margin.
• The Game 1 favorite is 21-9 ATS across the last 30 NBA Finals.
  • So far this postseason, the Celtics have a perfect record of 3 wins and 0 losses in series-openers, both straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS).
  • In the 2023-24 season, the Mavericks have a record of 1 win and 2 losses in Games 1s, both straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS).
• In the past 33 championship Game 1s, the Over has a record of 20 wins and 13 losses.
• Since 1991, teams that have been favored by 6-8 points in Game 1 have an impressive record of 10-3 against the spread (ATS) and 11-2 in terms of straight up wins (SU).
• Throughout their history, the Celtics have secured victory in 15 out of 22 Game 1 encounters in the NBA Finals.
• The Mavericks have a record of 1 win and 1 loss in Game 1.
• Historically, the NBA Championship has been won by the team that emerged victorious in Game 1 a staggering 70.1% of the time.

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NBA Best Bets and Picks Today

Looking to get in on even more NBA picks tonight? Check out our NBA Picks page for consensus picks for every 2023-24 playoff game.

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NBA Finals 2024: Mavericks vs. Celtics Series Schedule

• Game 1: @ TD Garden — Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 2: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 3: @ American Airlines Center — Wednesday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 4: @ American Airlines Center — Friday, June 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 5: @ TD Garden — Monday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 6: @ American Airlines Center — Thursday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 7: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)

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NBA Finals 2023-24 FAQ

When are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

• Mark your calendars for the upcoming NBA Finals of 2023-24, set to commence on Thursday, June 6, and conclude by Sunday, June 23.

Where are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

• TD Garden (Boston) and American Airlines Center (Dallas) have been selected as the venues for the 2023-24 NBA Finals.

How can I watch the 2023-24 Finals?

• ABC will be the sole broadcaster for all the games of the 2023-24 NBA Finals.

Where can I bet on the 2023-24 Finals?

• Basketball bettors can wager on this year’s NBA Championship and Finals MVP odds on the majority of online sportsbooks, including the following that Betting News highly recommends:

• Trusted Online Sportsbooks
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review »
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• Bovada Sportsbook Review »
• BetUS Sportsbook Review »
• BetDSI Sportsbook Review »
• Everygame Sportsbook Review »
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