Now that the All-Star break is over, teams all over the NBA are buckling down even more and focusing on making it to the playoffs.
Surprises await both conferences and there are sure to be several teams that surprise and disappoint.
While a lot can change between now and the postseason, Bovada has a clear favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals.
Per NBACentral, the betting site gives the Boston Celtics the best odds to score that major accomplishment.
The Celtics have odds of +115, ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks at +300, the New York Knicks at +700, and Cleveland Cavaliers at +800.
Odds to win the Eastern Conference, per @BovadaOfficial
Boston Celtics: +115
Milwaukee Bucks: +300
New York Knicks: +700
Cleveland Cavaliers: +800
Miami Heat: +1200
Philadelphia 76ers: +1200
Indiana Pacers: +3500
Orlando Magic: +7000
Atlanta Hawks: +15000
Chicago Bulls: +30000… pic.twitter.com/ji1ikpXDZh— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 23, 2024
The Celtics are currently the best team in the league with a 44-12 record, far ahead of the competition.
Cleveland, the second seed in the East, has a 36-18 record.
It is a bit surprising to see the Cavaliers behind both the Knicks and Bucks considering they are ahead of both right now, but this shows that betting sites don’t believe they have what it takes to go all the way to the Finals.
It is also interesting to see the Miami Heat high on the list with +1200, ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Heat are the eighth seed but there is obviously belief that they could once again surge when they reach the playoffs.
The Celtics have been favorites to reach the Finals all year long and there is now a lot of pressure on their shoulders.
If they aren’t able to meet expectations and reign supreme over the rest of the East, there might be calls on the front office to shake things up.
For years now, the Celtics have felt on the verge of winning their 18th championship.
They have never been in a better position to do that so if they come up short, the disappointment will be immense.
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