Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Prince J. Grimes.

Just one more day.

The NBA has been away for six days since the last game was played, but the finals begin tomorrow and there are so many interesting storylines to sort through.

Kyrie Irving’s return to Boston is at the top of that list, but something else I’ll be following closely that isn’t getting nearly as much attention is the battle for MVP.

In most cases, the finals MVP award goes to the best player on the winning team, because that player usually has the biggest impact on the outcome of the series. Not always, but usually.

The last time the best player on the winning team didn’t win the award was Andre Iguodala in 2015. And believe it or not, that was almost 10 years ago now.

It’s for that reason we don’t typically think about the award much going into a series. The only reason we cared so much the last time Boston was in the finals was because we knew it would likely be the last time Steph Curry would have a chance to win it. And he did.

This time around, though, there’s a new plot twist. BetMGM odds once again favor each team’s presumed best player, with Jayson Tatum listed as the overall favorite at -120 and Luka Doncic next at +200. But there’s reason to doubt Tatum will actually win the award even if Boston does take the series (as they’re favored to do at -225).

Related: Our brilliant staff predictions for 2024 NBA Finals winner and MVP

The Celtics are built in such a way that Tatum might not necessarily have to do as much as your typical No. 1 option in order for them to win. We saw that play out in the Eastern Conference Finals, when Jaylen Brown was named MVP over Tatum.

In addition to those two, the Celtics also have former all-stars Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in their lineup. As well as borderline all-star Derrick White, who might just be the X-factor in this series.

When Boston is humming, any one of those players can have a big game. Which is precisely why Tatum wasn’t a bigger regular season MVP candidate in a year the Celtics won 64 games.

So, why is any of this a big deal?

It shouldn’t be. Except we know what these things mean to the best players. Awards can be a sort of validation for the work they put in to get to this point. Tatum himself admitted as much at the All-Star break. It would be interesting to see how he handles things if say Brown wins another award over him — on top of owning the richest contract in league history (Tatum is in line to eclipse that deal this summer).

Would the two feel like their work together is complete and want to test their abilities apart from each other? Or would they put their egos aside to run it back at least another year?

Who knows? But that’s why the finals MVP discussion will be so fascinating. Of course, the Celtics need to worry about winning first. And this could all be a moot point if Tatum actually does win it. But if the award goes elsewhere, the “best player” talk will be endless and probably exhausting. And depending on how the series goes, it might be valid.

Related: 3 reasons the Celtics will (and won’t) win the NBA Finals

Jontay Porter’s alleged co-conspirator arrested

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

It would be unfair for me to call the people Jontay Porter was working with in an NBA betting scheme amateurs.

I don’t know those people from anywhere. Never heard of them, not familiar with their sports betting history, nor do I even know what they do for a living. The only things I know about them is what was reported Tuesday when one of the alleged co-conspirators was arrested and charged in the scheme that got Porter banned from the league.

However, from those reports, I think I have enough information to say those people were amateurs.

For starters, they couldn’t have been too bright to think no one would notice large amounts of money being bet on a fringe player like Porter to begin with. But beyond that, according to the criminal complaint, the group apparently went about their plotting in a group chat on the Telegram Messenger app?!

And, AND, the guy who was arrested Monday got caught at JFK Airport apparently trying to board on a one-way ticket to Australia. Which is laughable considering Porter was first busted in April. What took the guy so long to realize he might be in trouble?

Yeah, I think it’s safe to say this wasn’t the most buttoned up operation Porter chose to associate himself with. You can read all about it here.

One to Watch
(All odds via BetMGM)

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Las Vegas Aces (-450) at Dallas Wings (+8.5; +340), 8 p.m. ET

This is a tough matchup for Dallas because though the Wings can get up and down the floor and score with the Aces, I’m not sure they defend well enough to beat a Las Vegas team coming off four days of rest. And while the Aces certainly have room to improve themselves on the defensive end, their biggest weakness has been against the three — which isn’t where Dallas has excelled. Vegas also has the rebounding chops to neutralize Dallas’ usual advantage on the offensive boards.

All that said, the Wings are 5-2 ATS this season and they’re finally home after five straight games on the road. So I expect them to put up a fight against a team they’re familiar with from last year’s playoff semifinals. I think the Aces win, but I’ll take the points with Dallas.

Prince’s Pick: Wings +8.5

Shootaround
— Fans had jokes for the hilarious Steph Curry casting choice in FX’s Clipped

— The Jazz are getting rid of those terrible black and yellow jerseys and fans are thrilled

— The latest Ringer mock draft has Devin Carter with a reported promise

— Lonzo Ball classily offers to pay for Angel Reese’s fine after weak ejection

That’s all the Layup Lines for today. Have a good night and enjoy Game 1.

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