The wait is almost over.
The NBA Finals tips off Thursday night at TD Garden when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Boston Celtics.
With one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA, the Celtics are a 6.5-point favorite in Game 1. Boston, the favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the majority of the season, is a -210 favorite (67.74% implied probability) to take the series.
Dallas has been stellar on the road, though. Can the Mavericks hang around in Game 1? Here’s the betting preview for Thursday’s series opener with a pick.