Best Bet- Celtics to Make the Playoffs (-600)
Worst Bet- Celtics to Win NBA Championship (+1600)
The Boston Celtics had an up and down 2018-19 season, by many standards. The team with the most championships in NBA history once again made the playoffs, but couldn’t quite reach the level they had hoped for with stars Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, and a really strong bench. The Celtics finished the season 49-33 to claim the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference but were outlasted by the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the Conference Semifinals.
Boston will have to turn to a new star, as Kyrie Irving is no longer a Celtic. Will it be rising star Jayson Tatum who had a very productive second season last year, averaging 15.7 points per game?
There was a lot of roster turnover for the Celtics in the offseason, as stars Irving and Horford left in free agency. They didn’t travel far, picking fellow Atlantic Division foes the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. Terry Rozier was another big departure, but the Celtics hope they replenished the point guard position with a big splash. They were able to sign Kemba Walker from the Charlotte Hornets in one of free agency’s biggest moves.
Add in a strong draft class, and this team still feels like it is close to being able to compete in the division and the Eastern Conference.
Playing elite defense is something Boston prides itself on and they were able to finish eighth in the league, allowing around 108 points per game, which was one spot higher than eventual champion the Toronto Raptors. They were also sixth in the league in defensive efficiency last season.
Celtics Win Total: O/U 48.5 Wins
Oddsmakers have the Celtics win total set at 48.5, which this team seems capable of reaching given the talent of the roster, but it will all depend on if they can score the basketball this season. They were able to win 49 games last season which was down six wins from the 2017-18 season. The real question for this team is can Kemba Walker step in and lead them? If this team can build its chemistry then they have a real shot at winning more than 48.5 games. Chemistry is what held them back during the Irving days.
The Celtics bring in a strong class of rookies in Romeo Langford, Carsen Edwards, Grant Williams, and Tremont Waters. Another rookie prospect is the 7 foot 7 Tacko Fall, who adds an interesting dynamic for a team that will have to replace its centers as Horford and Aron Baynes left in free agency. Enes Kanter and Robert Williams look like the front runners for starting in the post, but that position still seems like it is up in the air. Boston still has a strong group of core players with Walker, Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown. I like the Celtics to win at least 48.5 games.
Odds to Make the Playoffs: Yes -600, No +450
The Atlantic Divison was able to send four teams to the playoffs last season, the lowest of which was Brooklyn who finished with 42 wins in the 2018-19 season. So it seems like the Celtics should be very capable of making a return to the playoffs in the 2019-20 season. The Celtics have made the playoffs every year since the 2013-14 season.
The Celtics have finished no worse than third in the Atlantic Division in the last five seasons. So barring another season of injuries the Celtics shouldn’t have any trouble qualifying for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. The only team that could jump ahead of them is Brooklyn who will feature a new loaded lineup. Toronto was able to win the division and the NBA Championship last season, but with Kawahi Leonard now in Los Angeles, the Raptors could take a step back, which makes it a three-team race between the Celtics, 76ers, and Nets for the division crown. Celtics are a good bet to make the playoffs in 2019-20.
Odds To Win the Atlantic Division: +300
This division is tough, and it just got tougher with Brooklyn bringing in a strong core of three players, pairing Irving with Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan. Boston could take a step back this season, they still can make the playoffs, but Brooklyn is gonna be a bigger threat than previous seasons. Boston was able to win the division back in 2016-17 but hasn’t sniffed the top spot in the Atlantic since.
Philadelphia looks like the team to beat in this division led by a line-up of Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, and new additions Josh Richardson and Horford. Behind them, it looks like it will be a battle between the Nets and Celtics for second best in the Atlantic Division. Toronto is the defending winner of not only this division but also the NBA Championship, but they lost their leader, as Leonard left in free agency. That seems like a team who will take a step back in 2019, so the Celtics could jump as high as second in this division, but don’t count them out as a possibility at taking the Atlantic Division. Boston is definitely in play for this division, but +300 might not be good enough odds to take the risk.
Odds To Win the Eastern Conference: +700
Boston checks in with the third-best odds to win the Eastern Conference. There are plenty of reasons as to why this is a good start for Boston. At first glance, they don’t seem to have the same aura around the team as they had with Irving on the roster, but they are still a strong team, with a good group of young talent to back up their centerpieces. The Celtics haven’t made it to the Conference Finals since the 2016-17 season, so it is a bit of a stretch to guarantee that they will make it that far. The Celtics have the pieces to reach it, but they aren’t quite capable of dethroning Milwaukee or Philadelphia.
Odds To Win NBA Championship: +1600
Similar thinking when it comes to winning the NBA Championship. There are several teams in both the Eastern Conference and West that have a better opportunity of bringing home the championship. Boston should be able to make the playoffs without any problems, but getting further than that will be solely set on the shoulders of Walker. This team can only go as far as their players can take them, as Brad Stevens can’t do it all. Avoid the Celtics when it comes to the NBA Championship.
