NBA Eastern Conference Odds Power Rankings: Celtics Juiced as Favorites

27.04.2023 21:56

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 -155 (Last week: +175)

Even though the Boston Celtics have yet to finish off the Atlanta Hawks, with the Milwaukee Bucks getting upset by the Miami Heat, the C’s are now a sizable favorite to win the Eastern Conference. Boston has often looked disinterested in their opening-round matchup with the Hawks, which should be over already. Boston made it to the NBA Finals in 2022, and there’s a strong case to be made that they’re actually a stronger group this time around, which is reflected in their odds to win the East. The Celtics now have some juice attached to their label to win the East after getting bet down from +175 to -155.

2. Philadelphia 76ers +300 (Last week: +360)

The one team in the Eastern Conference that’s done exactly what was expected of them as a favorite was the Philadelphia 76ers. They handled their business and swept the Brooklyn Nets in four games, which now has them facing off with the winner of the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks series. There are question marks about the health of Joel Embiid heading into their next series, but not enough where you’re stopping considering them. The 76ers have seen their odds of winning the East shift from +360 to +300.

3. New York Knicks +600 (Last week: +2900)

The New York Knicks versus the Cleveland Cavaliers was expected to be a tight opening-round series, but that just didn’t end up being the case. The Knicks were the better team from start to finish and ousted the Cavs in five games. Jalen Brunson has put the NBA world on notice and is getting the credit he deserves for being a legitimate star talent in the league. New York is going to be a difficult out in the East. That much has been made clear through the first round of the playoffs. Tom Thibodeau’s squad has seen their odds to win the East skyrocket from +2900 to +600.

4. Miami Heat +850 (Last week: +6500)

If you’re not still in shock that the Miami Heat knocked the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks off in five games, you haven’t been paying attention this year. The Bucks put together a monster regular season but had no response for Jimmy Butler. Miami’s star has continued to elevate his game in the playoffs, and that’s helped make the Heat a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Sure, Miami will have their work cut out for them against the New York Knicks in Round 2, but it’s severely impressive that their odds have catapulted all the way from +6500 to +850.

5. Atlanta Hawks +12000 (Last week: +45000)

To say it was unexpected that the Atlanta Hawks would still be around in their opening postseason matchup against the Boston Celtics would be an understatement. Impressively, the Hawks forced a Game 6 that will tip off tonight and with what they’ve demonstrated, why can’t they force a seventh game on their home floor? Getting Dejounte Murray back after missing Game 5 with a suspension will be crucial. Even though they’re still alive, the Hawks are considered major longshots to win the Eastern Conference, even if they’ve risen all the way from +45000 to +12000.

Do you have all the intel you need to win? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.