The NBA Finals begin tonight, as the Boston Celtics play against the Dallas Mavericks in game 1 of their series at 7:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Fans can watch this NBA playoff game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. If those methods have already been exhausted, then Sling offers a first month discount to new users.

The Mavericks are making their first appearance in the NBA Finals since winning an NBA championship in 2011 with Dirk Nowitzki. In order to reach this point, Dallas has pulled off numerous upsets as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. This includes wins over #1 Oklahoma City and #3 Minnesota, who have a lot of young talent on their rosters.

The Mavericks have found a lot of success this season with their star players Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić leading the charge. These two players have combined to average more than 51 points per game this postseason, which demonstrates their offensive dominance thus far. In order to win game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight, Dallas will need Irving and Dončić to continue scoring at a high level.

The Mavericks have also received a lot of contributions from forward P.J. Washington throughout this playoff run. He has had multiple 20+ point performances and has scored at least 10 points in nearly every game this postseason. So, he will also be imperative for Dallas to succeed tonight.

The Celtics have been a favorite to win the NBA championship all season, and they finished with the best regular season record in the NBA this year. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been key stars for Boston since entering the league, and the duo is looking to win their first NBA title this year. Both of these players are averaging at least 25 points per game this postseason and have carried the team’s offense thus far.

Boston has not been forced to play more than five games in a playoff series this year, which showcases the team’s quality. Since Boston’s star players are currently in their primes, the team will be extremely difficult to defeat this year. So, the Celtics are looking to take an early lead in the 2024 NBA Finals by winning game 1 at home tonight.

Basketball fans can watch game 1 of the NBA Finals for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, fans can watch the NBA playoffs by using Sling.