The 2024 NBA Championship could be decided this evening as the Boston Celtics look to close the show on the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics currently lead the series 3-1 and are getting set to play a potential close-out Game 5 at home in front of a jam-packed TD Garden. For the Mavs, a road win tonight would force a Game 6 back in Dallas as they look to become the first team in league history to come back from an 0-3 series deficit.
Ahead of tonight’s opening tip, we cover the Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 5 betting pick with the best bet for the NBA Finals.
Celtics vs. Mavericks NBA Finals odds: Best bet for Game 5
The Celtics came into this NBA Finals matchup as a sizeable betting favorite over the Mavericks, and that script certainly played out over the first three games of the series. After the C’s took a 3-0 series lead, the Mavs answered back in Game 4 with a blowout 122-84 victory to force Game 5 back in Boston as the series will extend at least one more game.
Coming into Game 5, the Celtics are (-6.5 point spread) favorites at home and can be bet at (-270 moneyline) odds. For the visiting Mavericks (+6.5 point spread) they can be wagered on at (+220 moneyline) underdog odds. The over/under total for Game 5 sits at 210.5.
Note: NBA Finals Game 5 odds on this page are provided courtesy of bet365. New users on the platform can secure the bet365 promo code to get their choice of two sportsbook welcome offers when they sign-up.
| NBA Finals Game 5 Odds | Point Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | +6.5 (-110) | Over 210.5 (-110) | +220 |
| Boston Celtics | -6.5 (-110) | Under 210.5 (-110) | -270 |
Celtics vs. Mavericks betting pick for Game 5
Looking at the odds block for tonight’s matchup, I like the over on the 210.5 total. While the teams have yet to clear this number through the first four games of this series, the pre-game over-under total has been set lower in three consecutive games. Last time out (Game 4), the total ended up at 206 and that was with nearly an entire fourth quarter of garbage time as the game was well out-of-hand and both coaches pulled most of their starters.
With the Game 5 over/under total this evening set at 210.5 (the lowest so far in this series), I’ll play the over as the Celtics attempt to capture the NBA Championship and the Mavericks look to force a Game 6.
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