2024 NBA Conference Finals preview: Celtics favored to win 18th ring

Following a Game 7 NBA double-header on Sunday night, the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals are set to begin on Tuesday, May 21, in Boston, while Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals will tip off Wednesday, May 22, in Minnesota.

The top-seeded Boston Celtics will host the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden in what will be the Celtics' fifth Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the 2016-17 season. Boston only won one of those five previous appearances, in 2022, before ultimately falling to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the 2022 NBA Finals.

Over in the West, the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves knocked off the Denver Nuggets in a thrilling Game 7 on Sunday, erasing a 20-point deficit to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2003-04 season, when Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell led the team. The Timberwolves will get home-court advantage in their upcoming series with the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who beat the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals.

Boston a heavy favorite over Indiana

The top team in the NBA, the Celtics (64-18) get a matchup with a Pacers squad returning to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 2013-14 season. This year also marked Indiana's first postseason bid since 2020.

To reach the conference final, the Pacers went through the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, whom they defeated 4-2 in the series, then knocked off the second-seeded New York Knicks in seven games on Sunday afternoon while shooting an NBA playoff record 67.1% from the field in a 130-109 Game 7 decision.

The Pacers' tallest task will be an upset of Boston, who's currently listed as a -900 favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals. Thus far in the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics have won each of their series in five games, beating the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round and the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Western Conference Finals are a tossup between Dallas and Minnesota

The Western Conference Finals are likely to see a much closer series between the Mavs and the Timberwolves, with Minnesota just slightly favored to win the series at -170. The line for Wednesday's home opener for the Timberwolves also gives Minnesota a marginal advantage as a four-point favorite in Game 1. Boston, on the other hand, is a 10-point favorite in its home opener on Tuesday.

The Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals by defeating the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in the first round, 4-2, before sending the Thunder home early in their series.

Before Minnesota upset the defending NBA champion, Denver, the Timberwolves beat the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in their first-round series.

Odds for the 2024 NBA championship

For the sixth consecutive season, the NBA will name a different champion. The Celtics are a -150 favorite to win the franchise's 18th title and first since 2008. A ring in 2024 would put Boston in the lead for most NBA titles by a franchise and would break a tie, at 17, with the Lakers.

Second on the 2024 NBA championship odds board is the Timberwolves (+275), who have yet to reach the NBA Finals in the franchise's 35-year history. Minnesota has just one appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2004, when it fell to the Lakers 4-2.

The Mavericks are a +500 choice to win the franchise's second NBA title and have played in five Western Conference Finals, winning two. The Pacers are the longest shot (+2500) to claim the franchise's first NBA championship and have won the Eastern Conference Finals just once in eight previous tries.

How to watch the 2024 NBA Conference Finals

You can watch Game 1 of the Pacers vs. Celtics Tuesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

Below is the full Eastern Conference Finals series schedule between the Pacers and Celtics:

Game 1: Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: Thursday, May 23, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 3: Saturday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4: Monday, May 27, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 5: Wednesday, May 29, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN (if game is necessary)
Game 6: Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN (if game is necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN (if game is necessary)

You can watch Game 1 of the Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Wednesday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT. 

Below is the full Western Conference Finals series schedule between the Mavs and Timberwolves:

Game 1: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2: Friday, May 24, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3: Sunday, May 26, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4: Tuesday, May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5: Thursday, May 30, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT (if game is necessary)
Game 6: Saturday, June 1, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT (if game is necessary)
Game 7: Monday, June 3, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT (if game is necessary)