NBA Eastern Conference Odds Power Rankings: Celtics Remain Juiced, Heat Rise
The NBA's Eastern Conference has juggernaut teams at the top, and it'll be difficult to unseat them as they try to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals.
The post NBA Eastern Conference Odds Power Rankings: Celtics Remain Juiced, Heat Rise appeared first on NESN.com.
The NBA’s Eastern Conference has juggernaut teams at the top, and it’ll be difficult to unseat them as they try to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals.
Below, you can find the top five teams with the best odds to win the East on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
1. Boston Celtics -165 (Last week: -155)
Even though the Boston Celtics continue to be favorites to win the Eastern Conference and NBA title, that doesn’t mean there aren’t concerns about this team. If Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers and their opening-round series vs. the Atlanta Hawks showed us anything, it’s that this team can be had.
Still, their ceiling remains very high, and they showed us in Game 2 against Philly that they can flat-out dominate on any given night. Despite some real question marks around the Celtics, there’s merit in them continuing to have a juiced price at -165.
2. Philadelphia 76ers +300 (Last week: +300)
The one team in the Eastern Conference that’s done what was expected of them as a favorite was the Philadelphia 76ers. They handled their business and swept the Brooklyn Nets in four games. After that, Philly proceeded to upset the Boston Celtics in Game 1 on the road without league MVP Joel Embiid.
It was a different 76ers team with Embiid on the court in Game 2, though, where they were ultimately blown out. Still, Philly will happily take a road split to kick off the series, which they are in play to win, even if the Celtics remain clear favorites. The 76ers haven’t seen any line movement over the last week regarding their odds to win the East, though, where they carry on with a +300 price tag.
3. (Tie) Miami Heat +750 (Last week: +850)
If you’re still not shocked that the Miami Heat knocked the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks off in five games, you haven’t been paying attention this year. Jimmy Butler has continued to be a force in the postseason, and although he’s not solely the reason they advanced, he played a substantial role in that.
Butler and the Heat captured Game 1 on the road over the New York Knicks, but he was injured late in that contest and ultimately missed Game 2. However, the injury prognosis isn’t devastating, as Butler should return shortly for Miami. With Jimmy Buckets in play, the Heat have a real shot to take down the Knicks in Round 2. Miami heads home after a split on the road for Games 3 and 4 and have seen their odds bet down from +850 to +750.
3. (Tie) New York Knicks +750 (Last week: +600)
The New York Knicks versus the Cleveland Cavaliers was expected to be a tight opening-round series, but that wasn’t the case. New York was the better team from start to finish and ousted the Cavs in five games. Jalen Brunson has been a significant factor for the Knicks and given the star they needed in their backcourt, even if they missed out on bigger names in the offseason.
New York split the first two games against Miami in the second round, which resulted in them losing home-court advantage for the time being. With Miami looking like a powerful opponent capable of moving forward in the East, the Knicks have seen their odds drop from +600 to +750 to win the conference.
Eastern Conference Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook
| Team | Odds |
| Boston Celtics | -165 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 300 |
| Miami Heat | 750 |
| New York Knicks | 750 |
The post NBA Eastern Conference Odds Power Rankings: Celtics Remain Juiced, Heat Rise appeared first on NESN.com.