NBA
Why do the Celtics have home court advantage in the 2024 NBA Finals?
Boston will be aiming for an 18th NBA Championship win as they face Dallas Mavericks in the best of seven series.
The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, with the series to get underway at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday 6 June. The Mavs are looking to win only their second even NBA Championship and face a Celtics team who are strongly fancied by most to win their 18th title, which would be a new record and eclipse arch rivals LA Lakers who can also boast 17 titles.
2024 NBA Finals schedule
Game 1: Mavericks @ Celtics - 6 June, 8:30pm ET
Game 2: Mavericks @ Celtics - 9 June, 8pm ET
Game 3: Celtics @ Mavericks - 12 June, 8:30pm ET
Game 4: Celtics @ Mavericks - 14 June, 8:30pm ET
*Game 5: Mavericks @ Celtics - 17 June, 8:30pm ET*
*Game 6: Celtics @ Mavericks - 20 June, 8:30pm ET*
*Game 7: Mavericks @ Celtics - 23 June, 8pm ET*
The Celtics go into the game as firm favourites and their hopes have been further boosted this week with the news that Kristaps Porzingis could return to the team sooner rather than later.
The 7-foot center has not played since straining his left calf during Game 4 of the Celtics first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat back at the end of April. Of course, one might argue that following an eventual 4-1 victory over the Heat, a dismantling of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, and a 4-0 sweep of the highly-touted Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, it may be that the Celtics don’t need him.
Dallas double for Celtics
Boston fans will also be boosted by their two earlier meetings with Dallas this season with the Celtics winning both. Their first encounter came in Dallas on 23 January, with Boston prevailing 119-110 after strong second and third quarters, in which they outscored their opponents by 13 points. Jayson Tatum (39 points) and Jaylen Brown (34) both outscored Luka Doncic (33), who has the best points per game average in the league.
Jason Kidd’s men were totally brushed aside in the final quarter in particular, surrendering 16 points (20-36) on the way to a crushing 110-138 loss. And that came despite a superb individual display from Doncic, who bagged 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
TD Garden advantage
During the regular season, Boston were the East’s No.1 team - and the No.1 overall NBA seed - and with the Mavericks finishing as the West’s No. 5 team, the Celtics secure home court advantage for the best of seven series to see who secures the Larry O’Brien Trophy.