The NBA Finals are almost here and we'll see a battle of David vs. Goliath when the Dallas Mavericks take on the Boston Celtics for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. This Finals matchup is filled with close-ties and storylines with players like Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis going up against their former teams. Without a doubt, we'll see some intensity from both teams as their seasons and hard work all come down to this.

Hustle will be a key-point throughout this series and there's no statistic more necessary and cumbersome than rebounding the basketball. It takes skill, grit, and determination to be a top rebounder in the NBA and there's a small crop of players who do it better than anybody. For our NBA Finals odds series, we'll be taking a look at the candidates to notch the most Total Rebounds throughout this series.

Check out our NBA odds series for a full breakdown of the Finals, including predictions and picks for each game.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Finals Odds: Top Total Rebounds Odds

Jayson Tatum (-110)

Luka Doncic (+155)

Dereck Lively (+1200)

Kristaps Porzingis (+1700)

Why Jayson Tatum will grab the most rebounds

With the Boston Celtics heavily favored to win the NBA Finals, it comes as no surprise that Jayson Tatum would have the best odds to lead the series in rebounding. During the Regular Season, he averaged 8.1 RPG with Kristaps Porzingis close behind him with 7.2 RPG. Without Porzingis for most of the Playoffs, Tatum has upped that number to 10.4 RPG. His teammate is set to return during this series, so expect his numbers to take a slight dip from what they've been the last few series.

Jayson Tatum has a lot riding on his shoulders and his level of effort for these Finals will be through the roof. The Celtics also play well when he's grabbing the ball off the boards and leading the charge in transition, so expect him to get his fair-share of short boards even with Porzingis back in the lineup.

Why Luka Doncic will grab the most rebounds

Luka Doncic will be the most important player for the Mavericks as him and teammate Kyrie Irving will have to have the series of their lives to knock-off the Celtics. Luka Doncic is in a similar boat to Tatum in that he leads his team in rebounding through both the Regular Season and Playoffs. Doncic averaged 9.2 boards during the season and has improved to 9.6 RPG through these Playoffs. Of course, he's a triple-double machine and his ability to start the fast break while looking for open teammates is the base of his game.

While Doncic will have to be an otherworldly scorer for them, he'll find success in grabbing rebounds and immediately running the floor with the ball in his hands. In their series against the Thunder, Doncic average over 10 boards per game and will likely continue those trends through these Finals. If the Mavs can make this a series, expect him to have a chance as the leading board-getter.

Why Dereck Lively will grab the most rebounds

Mavericks' center Dereck Lively will be another integral part of the success for this Dallas team as he'll be tasked with guarding the paint against Kristaps Porzingis and the athletic Celtics' wings. Lively has been a massive part of the Dallas defense alongside Daniel Gafford and the two do a great job of collectively boxing-out and grabbing boards.

Clearly, the odds take a significant jump once ruling-out Tatum and Doncic, so it's interesting to see Lively as the net closest option here. At just 20 years old, he'll have to remain poised in his first NBA Finals appearance, but if he plays anything like he has throughout these Playoffs, he should be in for yet another big series. He's been their main spark plug on the defensive end and he has great instincts around the rim.

Why Kristaps Porzingis will grab the most rebounds

Kristaps Porzingis was just upgraded to “Active” and we'll be seeing him make an appearance in the NBA Finals for the first time. It's an even bigger deal for Porzingis as he takes on his former team in the Mavericks where, apparently, there's still bad blood between the two sides. Porzingis will be the most dominant physical presence on the floor and with his recent injury, he could see some minutes on the bench as well easing back into action.

Still, he's the next-best rebounder for the Celtics and while they've played well without these Playoffs, he's still their starting center and only adds to the depth of this team. Look for him to have a solid role inside as the Celtics continue their success on the perimeters with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Kristaps Porzingis should be there to clean the glass off their misses.

Final NBA Finals Top Total Rebounds Prediction & Pick

This Finals will be one to remember for all the storylines leading in, but I think the addition of Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics' lineup will be the biggest difference. The Celtics have found a perfect rhythm on offense without him in the lineup, so I don't expect him to come back and take over in terms of shooting the ball and scoring too much. The Celtics should use him for defensive purposes and a role like rebounding the basketball.

Porzingis is also great when playing within his role and doesn't need to be the center-piece of an offense. I think head coach Joe Mazzulla will be very smart about using Porzingis down low and keeping him stationed to clean up the glass. Let's take a chance with the long odds for him to be the leading rebounder this series.

Click here for more betting news and predictions

Final NBA Finals Top Total Rebounds Pick: Kristaps Porzingis (+1700)