2024 NBA Finals Odds: Top 5 candidates to record most rebounds in Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks title clash

The 2024 NBA Finals are four days away, with the Boston Celtics getting ready to host the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden for Game 1. The Celtics had an easy path to the finals, not losing more than one game in each of the prior three series (4-1 against the Miami Heat, 4-1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and 4-0 against the Indiana Pacers), dominating their rivals on the way to the biggest series of all.

The Mavericks had a more complex journey to the NBA Finals, overcoming not having a home-court advantage in any of their previous series. They defeated the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers, the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder and the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves to make it to the finals.

Despite missing Kristaps Porzingis in the second round and the Eastern Conference finals, Boston didn't have any problem getting past rivals, with Jaylen Brown taking his game to a new level and winning the 2024 ECF MVP trophy.

Luka Doncic secured the Magic Johnson Western Conference finals MVP award this year.

Behind these two stars, other players will try to help their respective squads win the NBA championship. The battle in the pain will be crucial for their title aspirations, and rebounds will get a bigger meaning when these two teams set foot on the court. That said, it's time to take a look at the top five favorites to lead the 2024 NBA Finals in rebounds.

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Top 5 candidates to be the 2024 NBA Finals rebounds leader

#5. Daniel Gafford (+2000)

Daniel Gafford has made a terrific impact for the Dallas Mavericks after the trade from the Washington Wizards at this year's trade deadline. The big man has become a force on defense while also helping Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in pick-and-roll situations or getting buckets off lobs.

Gafford has averaged 5.9 rebounds per game this postseason, but his numbers against the Minnesota Timberwolves (6.8 rpg) suggest he might have more notable rebounding performances in this year's NBA Finals.

#4. Dereck Lively (+1000)

The Dallas Mavericks have three players on this list, including their two big men. Dereck Lively is still a rookie, but landing on a team with so much experience and players that can maximize his game has helped him evolve a lot in his first NBA season.

The 2024 playoffs have been very favorable for this player despite dealing with injuries at some point. Lively averaged 7.8 rpg against the Timberwolves, 0.6 more than his postseason average. His presence in the paint is notable for the Mavs and he can make a difference for them when it comes to rebounds in the NBA Finals.

#3. Kristaps Porzingis (+1000)

Kristaps Porzingis has missed the last 10 Boston Celtics games after going down with an injury in Game 4 of the first-round series against the Miami Heat. The Latvian big man is set to make his return during the Finals and his rebounding abilities will be highly valued by his team.

In four games this postseason, Porzingis only averaged 5.0 rpg, but returning to the court with a fresh body and unfinished business against the Dallas Mavericks can do wonders for him and the Celtics in the paint.

#2. Luka Doncic (+175)

Luka Doncic isn't only the No. 2 candidate to become the NBA Finals rebound leader but also the No. 2 candidate to win the Finals MVP award. The Mavericks star ranks ninth in rebounds per game in the entire NBA, with 9.6 per outing.

Luka can be a solo-man show for his Mavericks when he feels the team needs it. Still, with the options of Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, perhaps Doncic won't need to be that active grabbing rebounds.

#1. Jayson Tatum (-125)

Jayson Tatum, the favorite to win the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, is also the favorite to rank first in rebounds for this series. The forward is due to win a championship and he knows he must take his game to the next level to accomplish that goal. The Celtics have Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and even Al Horford to grab rebounds, but Tatum has excelled at this task during the playoffs.

He's averaged 10.4 rpg, ranking seventh in the league. Against the Pacers, he posted 10.3 rpg, focusing on impacting the game in more ways than just scoring (and still averaged 30.3 points per game). Tatum is expected to have a big series, and it won't be shocking to see him lead the Finals in more than one stat.