The 2024 NBA Finals are finally official, as the Dallas Mavericks will represent the Western Conference against the Boston Celtics of the Eastern Conference. Within hours of the June 6 matchup being confirmed, oddsmakers have already dropped the Game 1 player props on most available sportsbooks.
The player props were released in a second wave, as the opening money line, point spread and round total odds were released within minutes of Dallas punching their ticket into the championship series. Game 1 will commence from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, as the Celtics own the no. 1 overall seed.
Kyrie Irving Leads 2024 NBA Finals Player Props
Most bet (tickets) Game 1 player props at #BetMGM
1. Kyrie Irving over 2.5 three-pointers (-120)
2. Jaylen Brown over 23.5 points (-105)
3. Derrick Jones Jr. over 1.5 assists (+115)
4. Derrick Jones Jr. over 7.5 points (-140)
5. Luka Doncic over 30.5 points (-120) pic.twitter.com/8WGo0Qqrv0
— John Ewing (@johnewing) May 31, 2024
With bettors looking to bank potential early value in the 2024 NBA Finals market, several wagers have already been placed on every aspect of Game 1. Per John Ewing of BetMGM Sportsbook, users have been honing in on Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.
Ewing reports that Irving’s line of over 2.5 three-pointers made has been the most-bet player prop on BetMGM Sportsbook for Game 1 of the NBA Finals as of May 31. Bettors liked Jaylen Brown to score more than 23.5 points as the second-most selected wager. Interstingly, Boston star and the current favorite to win the NBA Finals MVP award, Jayson Tatum, was not included in the top five.
Per Ewing, here are the top five most-bet player props for Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals:
- Kyrie Irving over 2.5 three-pointers made (-120)
- Jaylen Brown over 23.5 points (-105)
- Derrick Jones Jr. over 1.5 assists (+115)
- Derrick Jones Jr. over 7.5 points (-140)
- Luka Doncic over 30.5 points (-120)
2024 NBA Finals Game 1 Betting Odds
GAME 1 LINES OF THE NBA FINALS ARE OUT 😭
(odds via @fdsportsbook) pic.twitter.com/NwO143Xa5T
— br_betting (@br_betting) May 31, 2024
While Kyrie Irving represents the favorite player prop amongst sharps ahead of Game 1, Dallas is not favored to win the opening act. Instead, the Boston Celtics are unanimously favored across all sportsbooks to take a 1-0 series lead.
According to Betstamp, all mainstream sportsbooks line Boston as 6.5-point favorites to get the job done on their home court. The point spread has grown from its opening line of 5.5 points. All sites price the no. 1 overall seed at over 2-1 to win the game outright.
The point total is set at a modest 214.5 by most books. Betway has the lowest total at 213.5 with DraftKings, Fanduel, Caesars and BetMGM all agreeing on 214.5.
Kyrie Irving’s History with the Boston Celtics
NBA fans are keen on the 2024 NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks for several reasons, with one being the budding storyline of Kyrie Irving’s return to Beantown. From 2017 to 2019, Irving led the Celtics to two playoff appearances as a top seed in the Eastern Conference.
After spending the first six years of his career with Cleveland, Irving requested a trade during the 2017 offseason despite winning a ring two years prior, desiring to become the no. 1 option of a championship team. He would subsequently be traded to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and Ante Zizic along with multiple draft picks.
While Irving’s brief tenure in Boston was successful, he only played in nine total playoff games for the team due to injury and was unable to reach the NBA Finals. In the 2019 offseason, Irving upset the fanbase of his previous team by choosing to sign with Brooklyn and play with his close friend Kevin Durant.
About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana by way of Honolulu, Hawaii with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst. Follow on X/Twitter at @jarenkawada1 and Instagram at @kawadajaren.
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