2024 NBA Finals: Celtics vs Mavericks - Schedule, preview, how to watch live

The men's basketball season in North America is nearly over. The 2024 NBA Finals are here.

The East’s No.1 team - and the No.1 overall seed - the Boston Celtics will take on the West’s No. 5 team, the Dallas Mavericks to decide who will capture the Larry O’Brien Trophy, before many of the players on show head to their national training camps ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics and final qualifying events.

After a 64-win regular season, the Celtics steamrolled through the postseason, eliminating the No. 8 Miami Heat and No. 5 Clevland Cavaliers in five games, before taking out the No. 6 Indiana Pacers in four games to win the Eastern Conference Finals.

For the Mavericks, the journey has been a little less smooth. Following a hard-fought 4-2 series win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas then eked past the West’s No.1 team Oklahoma City Thunder winning series-clinching Game 6 117-116. They then eliminated the No.3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 to win the Western Conference Finals.

All of that is now firmly in the past as the two top teams prepare to head-to-head in a best-of-seven series to crown this year's NBA champions.

Can Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks become the first No.5 seed to win an NBA Championship?

Will Boston, led by Jayson Tatum, become the most successful NBA franchise in history?

Find out the key things to know about the NBA Finals below.

Regular-season results: Celtics v Mavericks

Boston and Dallas met twice during the regular season and the Celtics won on both occasions.

• 22 January 2024 in Dallas: Celtics 119-110
• 1 March 2024 in Boston: Celtics 138-110

Boston Celtics - Journey to the 2024 NBA Finals

Eastern Conference final

Boston Celtics (1) beat the Indiana Pacers (6), 4-0

• Celtics 133, Pacers 128 (OT)
• Celtics, 126, Pacers 110
• Celtics 114, Pacers 111
• Celtics 105, Pacers 102

Second Round

Boston Celtics (1) beat the Cleveland Cavaliers (5), 4-1

• Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95
• Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94
• Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93
• Celtics 109, Cavaliers 102
• Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98

First Round

Boston Celtics (1) beat the Miami Heat (8), 4-1

• Celtics 114, Heat 94
• Heat 111, Celtics 101
• Celtics 104, Heat 84
• Celtics 102, Heat 88
• Celtics 118, Heat 84

Dallas Mavericks - Journey to the 2024 NBA Finals

Western Conference final

Dallas Mavericks (5) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (3), 4-1

• Mavericks 108, Timberwolves 105
• Mavericks 109, Timberwolves 108
• Mavericks 116, Timberwolves 107
• Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 100
• Mavericks 124, Timberwolves 103

Second round

Dallas Mavericks (5) beat Oklahoma City Thunder (1), 4-2

• Thunder 117, Mavericks 95
• Mavericks 119, Thunder 110
• Mavericks 105, Thunder 101
• Thunder 100, Mavericks 96
• Mavericks 104, Thunder 92
• Mavericks 117, Thunder 116

First round

Dallas Mavericks (5) beat the LA Clippers (4), 4-2

• Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
• Mavericks 96, Clippers 93
• Mavericks 101, Clippers 90
• Clippers 116, Mavericks 111
• Mavericks 123, Clippers 93
• Mavericks 114, Clippers 101

NBA Finals 2024: Complete schedule

The NBA Finals will tip off on Thursday 6 June with Boston claiming the home court advantage after finishing with the best record following the regular season.

• June 6: Game 1 – DAL at BOS (8:30 ET, ABC)
• June 9: Game 2 – DAL at BOS (8 ET, ABC)
• June 12: Game 3 – BOS at DAL (8:30 ET, ABC)
• June 14: Game 4 – BOS at DAL (8:30 ET, ABC)
• June 17: Game 5 – DAL at BOS (if necessary – 8:30 ET, ABC)
• June 20: Game 6 – BOS at DAL (if necessary – 8:30 ET, ABC)
• June 23: Game 7 – DAL at BOS (if necessary – 8 ET, ABC)

2024 NBA Finals: Three things to watch

The Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving partnership

So, how exactly did the No.5 seed from the West defy the odds and punch its ticket to the NBA Final?

For many, the answer rests in the hands of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The stars have been aligned for Slovenia’s Doncic since he entered the league. In his short six years, the 25-year-old is already a five-time NBA All-Star, NBA Scoring Champion and now a Western Conference Finals MVP.

His ascent has been something special but, crucially, he is not alone. Irving, the All-Star guard who was traded to the Mavericks in 2023, has assumed the role of foil perfectly.

Together the pair have averaged 51.6 points, 14.0 assists and 13.5 rebounds in the postseason, proving a headache to all defences they have faced. They are so creative and explosive that people around the game have now been asking if Doncic and Irving might be the best backcourt pairing ever.

It’s a lofty question. Certainly, they are proving formidable and Boston will be preparing to stop them accordingly.

The return of Kristaps Porzingis?

Boston centre Kristaps Porzingis, one of last summer’s major trades, went down in the first round of the playoffs with a right calf strain. The injury sidelined him from subsequent action with many assuming that the Latvian would not play any role in the Celtics’ quest for an NBA title.

But there have since been positive signs from Porzingis including a pledge by the big to return to action. On Wednesday (29 May), he shared his intention to return on social media:

"Thank you to everyone who supports and sympathizes throughout the season. I'll be back in line soon. See you in the finals."

He finished the post also indicating that he intends to play for the Latvian national team in this summer's Olympic qualifying tournament in July.

Though the Celtics managed to get through the Eastern Conference with little trouble, there is little doubt that Porizingis would provide a strong match against the Mavericks.

History for Boston?

The spectre of history looms large for Boston.

If the Celtics prevail against the Mavericks they will break their tie with the Los Angeles Lakers and become the most successful NBA franchise in history with 18 titles.

It would be a big moment and one many feel has been a long time coming.

The Celtics have been in the conference finals in six of the past eight years, their last shot at a title back in 2022 ended in heartbreaking defeat. Expectations are that now is the time to deliver and the signs all point in that direction.

They will enter the Finals 12-2 in the postseason, on a seven-game win streak and the No.1 seed in the East.

But will they do it?

Where to watch and stream the NBA Finals 2024?

In the U.S., ABC will broadcast the Finals with all games also available to stream on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Worldwide TV and livestreaming coverage will also be available. Details to be confirmed.