Best NBA Prop Bets Today for Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Game 1 (Target Dereck Lively II, Jrue Holiday)
The wait is over and the clash between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics will finally tip off Thursday night at TD Garden.
The Mavericks are the best road team in the NBA from an ATS standpoint heading into the matchup against a Boston squad that rolled through the Eastern Conference. Dallas is a 6.5-point underdog in the series opener. Beyond a spread or straight-up pick in Game 1, here are some player props to consider as the NBA Finals begins.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best NBA Prop Bets Today for Mavericks vs. Celtics
- Al Horford UNDER 1.5 Made 3-Pointers
- Dereck Lively II OVER 7.5 Rebounds
- Jrue Holiday OVER 17.5 Points+Assists
Al Horford UNDER 1.5 Made 3-Pointers (-140)
There’s no question that the veteran, 38-year-old center can stretch the floor and knock down big shots from beyond the arc. However, the Dallas defense is holding opponents to just 35.6% from downtown during the playoffs and shut down the perimeter against Oklahoma City and Minnesota, two of the top-3 three-point shooting teams in the NBA.
The No. 1 three-point shooting team is on deck in the NBA Finals and Horford has been boom or bust from deep this postseason. Seven of Horford’s 11 three-pointers in the Eastern Conference Finals came in a 23-point showing in Game 3 against Indiana. Horford having a one-game explosion has been a theme this postseason, with six of his 10 triples in the semifinals against Cleveland coming in Game 5.
Horford has gone under this 3-point prop in nine of 14 games this postseason and the return of Kristaps Porzingis could absolutely limit his opportunities on the offensive end.
Dereck Lively II OVER 7.5 Rebounds (+110)
Lively continues to be one of the classic role players stepping up who teams need for a deep playoff run. While the superstars will dominate the stat sheet, Lively plays a vital role in the Mavericks’ center rotation and cleaning up the glass.
Right now, the Mavericks’ defense is simply forcing missed shots, and Lively is grabbing big minutes off the bench and cleaning up on the glass. Lively went over this rebounding prop in all three games he finished in the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota’s top-tier frontcourt of Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid.
Lively only went under (3 rebounds) in the Game 3 victory over Minnesota where he left after just nine minutes on the floor. He returned in Game 5 to help close out the series and pulled down eight boards in 25 minutes.
Jrue Holiday OVER 17.5 Points+Assists (-118)
Holiday will play a big role in this series on the defensive side of the ball with the tall task of trying to slow down Luka Doncic. On the other end, though, Holiday averaged 18.5 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Holiday averaged 25.8 points+assists in the series against the Indiana Pacers and shot 58.7% from the field with multiple three-pointers in three of his four games. Holiday even put up a 15-point, 10-assist double-double in Game 2.
The Dallas defense has been stout over the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs, but Holiday could get some favorable matchups with Dallas making Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown the focal point.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.