2024 NBA playoff odds: Should the Celtics be favored over the field?

Now that the defending champions are on the cusp of defeat, is the NBA championship the Celtics’ to lose?

Denver is in an 0-2 hole at the hands of Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals, while Boston is up 1-0 in its Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against Cleveland. 

The Celtics have been at or near the top of the NBA Finals oddsboard all season, and at FanDuel Sportsbook, they are currently favored to win the East (-420) and win the NBA title (-115).

With that, FanDuel is allowing bettors to wager on the Celtics vs. the field. 

Let’s check out who’s favored.

Boston Celtics vs. The Field — 2024 NBA Championship:

The field: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
Boston Celtics: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)

As of Wednesday, the Celtics are slightly favored over the field to win the title, but are heavily favored to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. 

At FanDuel, Boston is an -8000 favorite to defeat Cleveland in the East semis, and sits at +110 to sweep the Cavaliers. 

If Boston does in fact finish off Cleveland in rapid fashion, it will face either the Knicks or Pacers in the East finals. 

However, on Tuesday’s edition of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd actually warned against the Celtics beating the Cavs too quickly.

“Sometimes being rested, even in the NFL — you think bye weeks are so valuable, and you find out, they’re really not,” Cowherd said of the Celtics sitting while the Knicks and Pacers endure a long series.” You’re hot and young teams wanna play the next night, the next night. So I think that Boston-New York series would be a lot feistier than people think. I think I would take the Celtics in six.”

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