The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks appear headed on a collision course, according to ESPN Analytics.
After taking each of the first two games on the road over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the network’s Basketball Power Index once again favors the Mavs as the series shifts to the American Airlines Center.
Per ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, Dallas has a 61.2% chance of walking off the court on Sunday night with a 3-0 Western Conference Finals lead. While Anthony Edwards and the T’Wolves have just a 38.8% chance of potentially making this a series again.
The Mavericks enter the game 2.5-point favorites over Minnesota thanks to the stellar play of Luka Doncic, who is nearly averaging a 34-point triple-double over the first couple games.
Last game, Doncic dropped 32. Highlighted by his game-sealing bucket over four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the final seconds.
If the Mavs were to go up 3-0, it could potentially mean that each respective conference champion would sweep its way to the NBA Finals.
Should Dallas advance, it would mark Luka’s first appearance on the game’s biggest stage and the Mavericks’ first since beating the Miami Heat’s Big 3 back in 2011.
Game 3 tips-off at 8 PM ET on TNT. The over/under on ESPN BET is 207.5.