[NBA Finals!!] Mavericks vs Celtics Game 1 Live Free Broadcast 6 June 2024

What channel is the NBA Finals Game 1 Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics game on today (6/6/24)? | FREE LIVE STREAM, time, TV, channel. There's no two ways about it, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving – the Celtics' and Mavericks' respective dynamic duos – will be absolutely key to deciding the outcome of the NBA Finals 2024. What's equally true, however, is that both team's defenders will play every ounce as vital a role as their leading men.

Click Here to Watch NBA Finals 2024 Live Online

The NBA Finals begins Thursday, June 6, 2024, with Game 1 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics at TD Garden at 8:30 p.m.

What makes this such a fascinating duel is both teams' ridiculous prowess from range. The Celtics ranked as the deadliest 3-point shooters in the regular season, with the Mavericks close behind in third, and the teams have swapped places in the postseason.

As outstanding as Tatum and Brown were through the Playoffs, the performances of Jokic and Irving were simply out of this world. That said, with Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington, the Celtics look better-equipped to slow Jokic and Irving down than the Mavericks do Tatum and Brown.

Irving's deeply unhappy stint with the Celtics has been well-documented, and while he seems to have now got most of the ill-feeling out of his system, it remains to be seen if he'll be able to keep his cool with a full TD Garden contingent raining unpleasantries down on him.

2024 NBA Finals live streams: TV schedule, dates

Here is what you need to know:

What: NBA Finals

Who: Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics

When: June 6, 2024

Where: TD Garden

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: ABC

Celtics vs Mavericks TV schedule 2024

(All times ET)

Thursday, June 6

8:30 p.m. – Game 1: Mavericks vs Celtics | ABC & ESPN3

Sunday, June 9

8 p.m. – Game 2: Mavericks vs Celtics | ABC & ESPN3

Wednesday, June 12

8:30 p.m. – Game 3: Celtics vs Mavericks | ABC & ESPN3

Friday, June 14

8:30 p.m. – Game 4: Celtics vs Mavericks | ABC & ESPN3

Monday, June 17

8:30 p.m. – Game 5: Mavericks vs Celtics | ABC & ESPN3

Thursday, June 20

8:30 p.m. – Game 6: Celtics vs Mavericks | ABC & ESPN3

Sunday, June 23

8 p.m. – Game 7: Mavericks vs Celtics | ABC & ESPN3

This year, basketball’s biggest tournament sees the No. 5 Dallas Mavericks up against the No. 1 Boston Celtics. The Celtics secured their finals berth with a decisive 4-0 Eastern Conference victory against the Indiana Pacers. The Mavs also worked fast, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 to win the Western Conference.

The Celtics are prohibitive favorites to win Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals and odds are on Boston to hoist what would be its record 18th championship banner.

Senior trader Halvor Egeland said Monday that 80% of the bets were coming on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Mavs to win their second NBA title. Boston is a -225 favorite to win it all, meaning someone would need to wager $225 to win $100.

As for the series opener, the Celtics are 6 1/2-point favorites, but 63% of the money has been on the Mavericks to cover the spread. Dallas is receiving 70% of the bets to win the game outright at +200.

Pretty much, the public is just believing in the Mavericks, Egeland said.

Despite that, the Celtics’ odds have remained consistently solid not only at BetMGM but other sportsbooks as well. Even though Egeland said professional bettors are largely sitting out this series because they don’t find much betting value, he said he didn’t expect the lines to be significantly affected.

We feel it’s the correct betting line, Egeland said. If we were trading strictly off money, we would’ve moved it towards the Mavericks because it’s all Mavericks money. But we’re trying to get to a point where we’re at like an equilibrium — half the time (betting is) going to be on one side, half the time it’s going to go on the other. We’ve landed at 6 1/2 and that’s the strategy you take.

Egeland said there’s a reason the Celtics are favored.

The Celtics had an 82-game season and they’ve been the best team all year, he said. I know they haven’t had the toughest competition to get to the Finals, but like I said, they’ve had 82 games to prove themselves, and they’ve done nothing but show you that they’re that good of a team.

THE PORZINGIS FACTOR

Part of the reason for the opening-game spread, Egeland said, is the expected return of Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis. He hasn’t played since straining his left calf in Game 4 of the opening round against the Miami Heat.

Porzingis not only would give the Celtics size if he is back, but the 7-footer is an effective 3-point shooter, creating a difficult matchup for the Mavs. He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds during the regular season.

Egeland said if the Celtics have to sit Porzingis yet again, they likely would drop to 4 1/2- or 5-point favorites.

The team’s been pretty good without him, DraftKings sportsbook operations director Johnny Avello said. So with him, it makes them even that much better. Will he be able to get back into the mix kind of quickly? I think so. This series could be a seven-game series, so any bodies you can get in there and contribute, they are welcome for both sides.

RUST VS. REST

Both teams have received extended time off to prepare for this series after the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers and the Mavericks eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.

I would say the Mavs had it a little bit harder than the Celts did, so maybe (the layoff) would affect the Celtics more since they didn’t get pushed much, Avello said. The Mavs’ 4-1 (series victory) wasn’t really reflective of how that series went, although you consider the Celtics, too. They could’ve lost an early game (to Indiana). It certainly would’ve changed the complexion of that series.

Egeland said the extra prep time should especially benefit Porzingis, but also noted that Doncic has been playing on a gimpy knee and ankle.

The other most-talked-about tandem in the tournament, Tatum and Brown, both now have a chance to win the ring that has so-far eluded them. Pundits love to compare them, and even pit them against one another, but the pair have already proven they can come together to bring Boston wins this postseason, and will try to do it again in the Finals.