Celtics vs. Mavericks odds, predictions, best player prop bets for Game 3 of NBA Finals

The Mavericks are priced as betting favorites at home against the Celtics in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Wednesday night, according to odds at BetMGM Sportsbook. Boston holds a 2-0 series lead.

The Mavericks played better in Game 2 than they did in the series opener, but even though they have the better closers on paper, the Celtics hit clutch shots to take the 2-0 lead. It was once again a team effort by Boston, with five players in double figures, led by Jrue Holiday's 26 points. Jayson Tatum scored a modest 18 points but was one rebound shy of a triple-double.

Dallas pushed Boston to the edge and took the lead down to a single-possession multiple times but never pulled in front. Luka Doncic was excellent once again and the role players were solid, as each starter scoring in double figures. However, Doncic's co-star, Kyrie Irving, was not good enough for the second game in a row, scoring only 16 points on 7-for-18 shooting.

Down 2-0, Dallas is practically in a must-win situation in Game 3 on Wednesday. No team has ever come back from 3-0 to win an NBA series. We have seen teams come back down from 2-0 to win, even in this postseason, as the Pacers did in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

Let's examine odds, betting news, and player props for Celtics vs. Mavericks and give you our best bet for Game 3 of these NBA Finals.

Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 3 odds: Point spread, moneyline, total

Here are the latest NBA betting odds for Boston vs. Dallas Game 3 from BetMGM.

• Point spread: Mavericks | Celtics
• Moneyline: Mavericks | Celtics
• OVER/UNDER:

Boston Celtics betting news and analysis

After a world-class performance in Game 1, Boston had a more difficult time in Game 2. While the Celtics offense was not at the same level on Sunday night, their defensive competitiveness cannot be understated. They tallied 10 steals to just five for the Mavericks and turned the ball over 10 times, compared to 15 for Dallas.

The Celtics' on-ball defense, though, was the reason for their Game 2 win. Forcing Irving and Doncic to work so hard just to get their spots or forcing passes with seconds left on the shot clock made for a difficult night for Dallas. Boston forced crucial turnovers in the fourth quarter. Each time Dallas made a push, it seemed, Boston would lock in and force a bad shot or turnover, leading to buckets on the other end.

The lowlight of the night was Kristaps Porzingis hobbling off the floor late in the game with what turned out to be a torn medial retinaculum in his left leg. Porzingis' status is unclear for Game 3 and the rest of the series.

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Dallas Mavericks betting news and analysis

Luka has done everything he can to push his Mavericks team to victory, but he looks exhausted and desperately needs the Robin to his Batman to play as he did earlier in the playoffs. In the Finals, Irving has played two of his worst games of the postseason. Only one other time during the playoff has Irving scored under 20 points in consecutive games, and if he does not bounce back in Game 3, this series could be over.

Dallas got what it needed from its other starters, each scoring in double digits. Daniel Gafford put up 13 points and was one rebound short of a double-double, Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting, and P.J. Washington was the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points. With Luka's 32-point triple-double, that should have been enough for a Mavericks win.

Kyrie's underperformance was the difference in the game. After his eight points in the first quarter, it looked like he would be the catalyst for a victory. Unfortunately, he scored only eight over the next three quarters.

NBA Finals Game 3 prop bets and picks

Here is a sampling of prop bets for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Celtics from BetMGM Sportsbook:

• Luka Doncic OVER/UNDER 32.5 points
• Jayson Tatum OVER/UNDER 26.5 points
• Kyrie Irving OVER/UNDER 32.5 points + assists + rebounds
• Derrick White OVER/UNDER 4.5 assists
• Luke Doncic triple-double: Yes +260 | No -400

Jayson Tatum is off to a bad start to the series shooting-wise, but his impact is still felt because of everything else he is doing. He dished out 12 assists in Game 2 after five in Game 1. While he is struggling to score, he has been playing a LeBron-like role, doing a little bit of everything. We like Tatum to continue to put up big assist numbers, especially as his teammates finish well, so take the OVER 5.5 assists (-135) at BetMGM for Game 3.

Celtics vs. Mavericks ATS prediction

The Mavericks may not win this series, but we do not expect them to go away easily. After two losses on the road, they will continue to improve in Game 3, winning their first game of the Finals and making this a series.

Prediction: Mavericks