Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks Game 5 preview: Three things to watch, injury news, odds

NBA: Finals-Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks

BOSTON — Was Game 4 an aberration or the start of a trend?

For three games, the Boston Celtics were clearly the best team in the 2024 NBA Finals — even when their shooting was off in Game 2, the Celtics found a way to win.

Game 4 was very, very different — a 38-point blowout win by Dallas to force a Game 5 back in Boston.

Was that a one-off? A great night from Luka Doncic and the Mavericks on a night the Celtics mailed it in? Or, did Dallas find something they can sustain?

Let’s break down Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals and try to determine whether there will be a Game 6.

Betting odds for NBA Finals Game 5

Dallas Mavericks (+205) vs Boston Celtics (-250)
Spread: Celtics -6.5 | O/U: 209.5

Injury news, updates

• Kristaps Porzingis is again officially questionable for Game 5 with his ankle/foot issue. This will likely end up like Game 4, where he was technically available in a “break glass in case of emergency” situation, or as Joe Mazzulla put it, “we’re only going to use him in very specific instances if necessary.” Xavier Tillman (who gets some of KP’s minutes and has played well) says it still looks like Porzingis is in some pain when he moves sharply, but ultimately the doctors will make the call.

• Luka Doncic is probable. He has gotten a pain-killing injection for his bruised chest and that could happen again, and he continues to play through leg and ankle issues.

“At this point in the season, a lot of things going on. If I’m playing, I’m fine,” Doncic said.

Three things to watch for in Game 5

1) There’s pressure on Boston now

To a man, the Celtics denied feeling it, but there is pressure on them to win Game 5 and end this series.

“We really want to win the next game, but if we don’t, it’s not the end of the world,” Payton Pritchard said. “We have three more rounds to go, at (most). But the most important game is the next one, and to do it in front of the home crowd would be special.”

The pressure is there because if the Celtics lose Monday the Mavericks can see a path to the ring — the series shifts to Dallas on Thursday, and if the Mavericks can hold home…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/boston-celtics-vs-dallas-mavericks-003139155.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-06-17 00:31:39

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