The NBA playoffs are set to begin Tuesday, with the play-in tournament featuring some of the league’s more interesting teams.
These matchups feature intriguing teams in the Lakers, Pelicans, Warriors and Kings in the Western Conference, while the Sixers and Heat clash in the Eastern Conference.
However, none of these teams are likely to win the title, despite the Heat making the NBA Finals as a play-in No. 8 seed last season.
The Eastern Conference is much stronger than last year, with the Boston Celtics completely reloaded to new heights this year.
Meanwhile, the Jalen Brunson-led Knicks added OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and more to a stronger roster than the one the Heat saw last season, albeit one without an injured Julius Randle.
NBA Finals odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Celtics | +180 |
| Nuggets | +300 |
| Clippers | 12/1 |
| Bucks | 13/1 |
| Thunder | 16/1 |
| Mavericks | 18/1 |
| 76ers | 18/1 |
| Suns | 20/1 |
| Timberwolves | 20/1 |
| Lakers | 35/1 |
| Knicks | 35/1 |
| Heat | 40/1 |
| Cavaliers | 40/1 |
| Pelicans | 66/1 |
| Warriors | 80/1 |
| Pacers | 125/1 |
| Magic | 150/1 |
| Kings | 200/1 |
| Bulls | 1000/1 |
| Hawks | 1000/1 |
NBA Finals prediction
It’s all about the Boston Celtics winning the Finals these days, with wild +180 odds before they even start Round One, where they could easily face the Miami Heat, who eliminated them last year.
It’s incredibly difficult to argue against the Celtics, who, in theory, would have a first-round matchup against the Heat/76ers, and the Cavaliers/Magic winner in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 series.
With relative ease, you can look at that side of the bracket and pencil the Celtics into the Eastern Conference Finals.
The other side of that bracket is brutal, with the Knicks, Bucks and Sixers/Heat setting up a painful go-around.
Whoever emerges from that slog will be beaten and battered heading into a possible showdown with the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
We’re making a lot of projections here, but should the Celtics indeed avoid Philadelphia in the first round, they are looking at a much stronger case at covering these wild +180 odds.
The Celtics have the lowest odds of winning the NBA Finals entering the playoffs since the 2019 Golden State Warriors (-178), according to SportsOddsHistory.com.
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Injuries are always going to play a factor in the NBA playoffs, but Boston has tons of depth, more than any other team.
If you’re looking at betting who will win the finals, you’re on Boston +180 with a hedge spot worth snagging should they face the dreaded matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
PICK: Boston Celtics to win the NBA Finals (+180, BetMGM)