Boston secured a second consecutive win on Sunday, marking the ninth time the Celtics have started the Finals with back-to-back victories. In Game 2, the Celtics saw five players score in double figures, with Jrue Holiday (26 points) and Jaylen Brown (21) leading the charge. Jayson Tatum contributed 18 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds despite a rough shooting night.
On the Mavericks’ side, Luka Doncic notched his 10th career playoff triple-double, while Kyrie Irving, who has lost his last 12 games against the Celtics, added 16 points.
Fans can catch every 2024 NBA Finals game on ABC, with streaming available on fubo (try for free). Below is the full schedule for the series:
Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 3 Info
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Date: Wednesday, June 12
- Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas
- TV Channel: ABC
- Streaming: ABC/fubo (try for free)
2024 NBA Finals Schedule
- Game 1: Thursday, June 6 – Celtics 107, Mavericks 89 (Boston leads 1-0)
- Game 2: Sunday, June 9 – Celtics 105, Mavericks 98 (Boston leads 2-0)
- Game 3: Wednesday, June 12 – Mavericks vs. Celtics, ABC/fubo
- Game 4: Friday, June 14 – Mavericks vs. Celtics, ABC/fubo
- Game 5*: Monday, June 17 – Celtics vs. Mavericks, ABC/fubo
- Game 6*: Thursday, June 20 – Mavericks vs. Celtics, ABC/fubo
- Game 7*: Sunday, June 23 – Celtics vs. Mavericks, ABC/fubo
The Mavericks are vying for their second championship, their first and only title coming in 2011 led by Dirk Nowitzki. This year marks their first Finals appearance since then. The Celtics, meanwhile, have 17 championships but have not won since 2008. They last reached the Finals in 2022, where they fell to the Warriors in six games.
2024 NBA Finals Odds
- Entering the series: Celtics -230, Mavericks +180
- Entering Game 3: Celtics +105, Mavericks -125
Game 3 Prediction
The Celtics have been perfect on the road this postseason, even largely without Kristaps Porzingis, who remains questionable for Game 3. Conversely, the Mavericks have lost at least one home game in each of their playoff series this year and have not faced an opponent as formidable as Boston. Luka Doncic has been the sole consistent offensive threat for Dallas, and Boston’s increased defensive pressure on him in Game 2 proved challenging for the Mavericks. Given these factors, Boston is favored to win Game 3 despite the Mavericks’ home-court advantage.
The Pick: Celtics +2.5
