I know. It's been less than 24 hours since Giannis and the Bucks captured the first NBA title in 50 years for the city of Milwaukee. But out of habit, I went to PointsBet to look up the 2022 NBA championship odds to see the Bucks' odds to repeat and where the Celtics stack up.
And let's just say Boston is in a very different place than where it was a year ago.
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Coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics had the fifth-best odds to win the title heading into the 2020-2021 season at +1400 (14 to 1). The Lakers were favored to repeat (+275), followed by Milwaukee (+550), Brooklyn (+600), and the Clippers (+650). Unfortunately, the Celtics had a disappointing season, going 36-36 followed by a first-round exit to Kyrie Irving and the Nets.
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As a result, the Celtics have opened at +4000 to win it all next season. That's 40 to 1. A measly $10 bet to win $400. Boston enters with the 13th-best odds behind the likes of Philadelpha (+1200), Miami (+2000), Atlanta (+3300) and Dallas (+3300), just to name a few. And of course you have the favorites in Brooklyn (+250), LA Lakers (+650), and Milwaukee (+800).
The C's brought in a new voice with head coach Ime Udoka, traded Kemba Walker and brought back veteran Al Horford. In theory, they could make a blockbuster trade involving Jaylen Brown and immediately move up the list. Or they could make marginal moves and rely on the growth of young stars Jayson Tatum and Brown and still take a sizable step in the right direction.
Boston Celtics
Going from +1400 to +4000 feels like an overcorrection. Perhaps some of that is related to the Bucks breaking through and the Nets presumably coming back with three healthy superstars in Durant, Harden and Irving. But 40 to 1? It's a flyer, it's a long shot, and it's very interesting.
2022 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | +250 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +650 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +800 |
| Golden State Warriors | +900 |
| Phoenix Suns | +900 |
| Utah Jazz | +1100 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1200 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +1400 |
| Miami Heat | +2000 |
| Denver Nuggets | +3000 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +3300 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +3300 |
| Boston Celtics | +4000 |