The Dallas Mavericks will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. We're here to share our NBA Finals odds series and make a Derrick White points-per-game prediction and pick.

White is back in the NBA Finals after he was part of the squad that lost to the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago. Now, he looks to be significantly better as Boston attempts to win their 18th championship, But White also hopes to improve after averaging only 9.8 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game in the series loss against Golden State. Consequently, he will need to do much better or else he will not hit the over.

Things will also be complicated with the return of Kristaps Porzingis. Additionally, Jaylen Brown may score a bunch of points, and you cannot forget about Jayson Tatum. Because of that, it may make things difficult for White to hit his stats. Let's examine what he has done over the course of the postseason and how much he can score.

Here are the NBA Finals odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Finals Odds: Derrick White Points Per Game Odds

Over: 14.5 points (-113)

Under: 14.5 points (-113)

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Why Derrick White Will Hit the Over

When the Celtics started the postseason, they were the heavy favorites against the Miami Heat in the first round. However, many believed it would be Tatum or Brown leading the way against Miami. But White took over the series from the onset. First, he scored 20 points in Game 1 while shooting 6 for 10. White also had 16 points in Game 3 while shooting 7 for 14. Later, he exploded for 38 points in Game 4 by going 15 for 26. White then helped the Celtics close the series with 25 points while shooting 8 for 13. Amazingly, he was all over the court in that series, and the Heat could not stop him, as he averaged 22.4 points per game.

The Celtics came into the Eastern Conference Semifinals with the Cleveland Cavaliers with high expectations. Ultimately, White kept his momentum going as he scored 25 points while shooting 9 for 15. While White did not go over 14 for the next three games, he did finish with 18 points in the Game 5 win over the Cavs. Overall, he finished with 14 points per game in the series.

White was solid in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, scoring 15 points while shooting 5 for 13. Then, he scored 23 points while shooting 8 for 15. Because of that performance, White finished with 16.75 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals.

When you compile all three of these series, White has averaged 17.8 points per game in the playoffs. Significantly, he has been the reliable third option for the Celtics behind Brown and Tatum. The Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday in the offseason to add another weapon. Yet, White has remained reliable and someone who can score at will when the Celtics needed him to.

White will hit the over because he ie a force all over the court and incredibly consistent. Plus, he is the third-best scorer on the team.

Why Derrick White Will Hit the Under

But it's also important to remember that White has also had some bad games. Moreover, Porzingis being back may complicate things. White hit the under just once against the Heat when he scored 13 points in Game 2. However, there were other instances where he just struggled.

White basically disappeared in the series against the Cavaliers. Unfortunately, he managed just 10 points in Game 2 while shooting 3 for 11, including 1 for 8 from the triples. White also scored 12 points in Game 3 while shooting 4 for 13, including 3 for 8 from beyond the arc. Somehow, the worst performance came in Game 4 when he scored five points in Game 4 while shooting just 1 for 6. White finished with 14 points per game in the series.

While White did well over the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, he also had one bad game. Unfortunately, he barely missed the spread in Game 3 as he scored 13 points while shooting 3 for 11, including 2 for 8 from beyond the arc.

The common thread in all these games where he struggled was his inability to hit the three-point shot. Significantly, when he was on fire, he hit the mark easily. But when he could not hit the shot, he usually faltered.

White will hit the under because the Mavericks are excellent at defending the three-point shot. Likewise, it may make things difficult for him to make any headway.

Final Derrick White Points Per Game Prediction

White has hit the over in two of three series. Yet, Porzingis's return complicates things. The Mavericks will also be significantly better than any other team they have faced. Overall, the Heat, Cavaliers, and Pacers did not pose any significant threat on defense. But the Mavs have already overcome some offensive juggernauts as they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. Therefore, look for the Mavs to contain White. We could see him averaging between 11-13 points, which would likely fall short.

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Final Derrick White Points Per Game Prediction: Under: 14.5 points (-113)