From the start of the season, the Boston Celtics have been the clear favorites to win the Eastern Conference and share the odds with the Denver Nuggets to win the championship. The Celtics, however, might still have some betting value in a number of futures markets despite such low odds. Because of Boston’s excellent play, one of their studs is now a long chance to win an individual award.
Here are three wagers at ESPN BET that are now worth thinking about.
Though they are practically even money favorites to win the East, the Celtics should be the clear favorite given their caliber of play. With a seven-game advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers in second place for the top seed in the conference, Boston owns the best record in the NBA. Should this be a regular season wager, their odds of winning would be enormous. The Celtics will need to continue playing at a high level throughout the playoffs because this is a postseason honor, but they appear ready to do so.
The teams most likely to face the Celtics in the postseason at the start of the season were the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers were led by the reigning MVP Joel Embiid, and the Bucks had made a major statement in the offseason by acquiring Damian Lillard. However, Milwaukee changed coaches in the middle of the season, is still coping with chronic ailments, and has had trouble completely integrating Lillard. Under their new coach, Doc Rivers, they are currently playing mediocre basketball. Since Embiid’s knee injury forced him to miss time indefinitely, the 76ers have also suffered.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have experienced far greater success in creating a cohesive unit with their significant offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, complementing their playoff-proven nucleus of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Al Horford. They have the strongest inside scoring option since Tatum/Brown with Porzingis, and Holiday is an All-Star point guard with outstanding defense and strong floor management. The five-man combination of Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Holiday, and White has outscored opponents by a staggering 12.1 points per 100 possessions, according to basketball-reference.
The Celtics have maintained their domination in their games against the best clubs in the Eastern Conference. With an average scoring differential of +7.2 PPG, they are a combined 16-5 against the seven other teams presently in the top-8 in the Eastern Conference standings and 6-1 against the Cavaliers, Bucks, and New York Knicks. Those five defeats came from away games. With an average scoring advantage of +13.5 points per game against the other seven opponents, Boston remains undefeated at home (11-0). The Celtics’ domination at home thus far strengthens their case to win the conference because they will most likely enjoy home court advantage and the No. 1 seed in the East throughout the playoffs.
