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.

Paul Reidypaulreidy67Update: Jun 4th, 2024 16:16 EDT

David Butler IIUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

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 ETGame 2: Mavericks @ Celtics – 9 June, 8pm ETGame 3: Celtics @ Mavericks – 12 June, 8:30pm ETGame 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. 

MAVERICKS. CELTICS. 🍿The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV are officially set!Game 1: Thursday, June 6th at 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/9U9ng7hAjr

— NBA (@NBA) May 31, 2024

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.

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Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston CelticsJUSTIN CASTERLINEAFP