While it feels like it was just yesterday that the Celtics crawled back from a 0-3 deficit to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s already time to turn the page as the 2023-24 regular season officially gets underway this week.
The expectations for this Boston team are sky-high, as you’ll see in all of the betting odds we’re about to outline from our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook. But let’s start with the opener. The Celtics are headed to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night to take on the New York Knicks. They’re favored by 3.5 points:
Odds: Celtics @ Knicks
Spread: Celtics -3.5
Moneyline: Celtics -164/Knicks +138
Total: O/U 223.5
The Knicks, led by point guard Jalen Brunson, actually went 3-1 against the Celtics in 2022-23, beating them by 3, 15, and 2 in said wins. Wednesday’s game tips off at 7:10 p.m. and will air on ESPN.
Boston is not only favored to win their opener, but they’ll also likely be the favorite in a majority of their games this season. The Celtics have the highest win total (54.5) according to FanDuel:
Regular Season Wins
OVER 54.5 wins -122
UNDER 54.5 wins EVEN
And they’re the favorite to win the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament…
Odds to Win 2023-2024 NBA In-Season Tournament
Boston Celtics +950
Milwaukee Bucks +950
Phoenix Suns +1100
Denver Nuggets +1300
Los Angeles Lakers +1300
And to win the Eastern Conference…
Odds to Win 2023-2024 Eastern Conference Finals
Boston Celtics +175
Milwaukee Bucks +175
Cleveland Cavaliers +750
Philadelphia 76ers +1000
Miami Heat +1100
And last, but not least, the NBA Finals…
Odds to Win 2023-2023 NBA Finals
Boston Celtics +380
Milwaukee Bucks +380
Denver Nuggets +550
Phoenix Suns +550
Los Angeles Lakers +1300
As I said, the expectations are sky-high expectations for this Celtics team. The abundance of personnel moves both in the front office and on the roster that Boston made this offseason could prove paramount in their quest towards Banner 18.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.