Celtics
Oddsmakers checklist the Celtics and a few of their stars as among the many favorites to win some {hardware} this season.
The beginning of the 2023-24 NBA season is simply days away, and the Celtics enter the brand new yr with excessive expectations as soon as once more.
Boston’s offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation have oddsmakers viewing it in a excessive vogue after it fell within the Japanese Convention Finals final season. Because the Celtics are among the many favorites to win the title, a few of their stars are additionally among the many favorites to win some trophies this season as properly.
Let’s check out how oddsmakers view the Celtics on the eve of the common season.
(All odds by way of DraftKings Sportsbook except in any other case famous)
Celtics crew odds
Win complete: 55.5
Odds to win most regular-season video games: +250 (greatest odds)
Odds to win In-Season Match: +900 (tied for greatest odds)
Odds to make NBA Playoffs: -8000
Odds to win Atlantic Division: -280 (greatest odds)
Odds to earn No. 1 seed in Japanese Convention: +130 (greatest odds)
Odds to win Japanese Convention: +180 (tied for greatest odds)
Odds to win NBA title: +400 (tied for greatest odds)
While you have a look at crew odds for nearly each wager, the Celtics are on the prime of the oddsboard.
Boston is as soon as once more among the many favorites to win the title getting into the season. In reality, the expectations surrounding the Celtics are the very best they’ve been in a number of years, in response to oddsmakers.
The Celtics’ win complete is their highest for the reason that 2009-10 season, once they have been projected to win 56.5 video games. Their odds to win the Japanese Convention are the most effective they’ve been for the reason that 2018-19 season, once they had -105 odds to win the convention getting into the yr. Their odds to win the NBA title are their greatest to enter the season for the reason that 2008-09 season, once they had +350 odds to defend their title.
Nonetheless, being the odds-on favourite to win the title within the preseason hasn’t bode properly in latest historical past. The Warriors have been the final preseason favourite to win the title, successful all of it within the 2017-18 season once they had -187 odds to assert the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Final season’s Celtics have been among the many group of groups that have been the favourite to win all of it within the preseason that finally fell brief, although they have been the closest to successful all of it amongst that group.
Because it pertains to their win complete, many stat projections and fashions seem to have the Celtics someplace across the line oddsmakers set, which can be simply in need of the 57 video games they received final season. ESPN’s Kevin Pleton’s mannequin initiatives them to win 54.3 video games. Nate Silver’s mannequin initiatives them to win 56 video games. The Action Network’s Matt Moore has them projected to win practically 58 video games.
Jayson Tatum
Factors per recreation complete: 29.6 factors
Odds to steer the league in scoring: +750 (fifth-best odds)
Odds to steer the league in 3-pointers made per recreation: +3000 (tied for the ninth-best odds)
Odds to make All-NBA first crew: +150
Odds to win Clutch Participant of the 12 months: +2500
Odds to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months: +4500
Odds to make All-Defensive first crew: +1800
Odds to win MVP: +800 (fifth-best odds)
The Celtics having gamers like Tatum are why their odds of successful a title are excessive. And as soon as once more, oddsmakers undertaking Tatum to be among the many greatest gamers within the league.
Tatum was among the many favorites to win the MVP going into final season and even had the most effective odds at one level a few months into the yr. However his odds dropped when he struggled following the All-Star break.
Nonetheless, Tatum had a profession yr final season. He scored 30.1 factors per recreation (sixth-best mark within the league) to complete fourth in MVP voting and earned his second All-NBA first-team nod in a row. Whereas he shot a career-low 35 p.c from 3-point vary final season, he completed sixth in 3-pointers made per recreation (3.2).
Tatum said his private objective over the offseason was to make one of many All-Defensive groups. He’s but to do this, however he earned votes to make one of many groups within the 2021-22 season.
Jaylen Brown
Factors per recreation complete: 25.6 factors
Odds to steer the league in scoring: +15,000
Odds to make All-NBA first crew: +3000
Odds to win Clutch Participant of the 12 months: +7000
Odds to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months: +5500
Odds to make All-Defensive first crew: +2500
Odds to win MVP: +7000
Oddsmakers are projecting Brown to have the same yr that he had final season, when he scored a career-high 26.6 factors per recreation.
Brown’s profession yr earned him his second All-Star nod and his first look on an All-NBA crew, being named to second crew All-NBA. It needs to be famous that that is the primary yr that All-NBA voting shall be positionless, which might have an effect on Brown as he was voted onto the All-NBA second crew as a ahead.
It’s seemingly that Brown will take a again seat to Tatum once more within the pecking order when it comes to who initiates the Celtics’ offense and scoring. However it doesn’t seem that the additions of Vacation and Porzingis may have drastically restrict his scoring alternatives. He put up simply over 12 photographs per recreation within the preseason as he averaged roughly 26 minutes per recreation.
Jrue Vacation
Assists per recreation complete: 6.5
Odds to steer the league in assists: +2500 (Tenth-best odds)
Odds to win Sixth Man of the 12 months: +1900 (sixth-best odds on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Odds to make All-NBA first crew: +2000
Odds to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months: +1500 (tied for ninth-best odds)
Odds to make All-Defensive first crew: +450
The veteran guard is the participant second-most seemingly on the Celtics to earn some {hardware} for his particular person efficiency this season, in response to oddsmakers.
Vacation has been praised for his defensive prowess over his 14-year profession, incomes 5 complete All-Defensive crew nods. He made the All-Defensive first crew for the third time in his profession final season, recording 1.2 steals per recreation. He completed tied for seventh in Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting final yr, receiving essentially the most votes amongst all guards.
An fascinating line for Vacation is his odds to win Sixth Man of the 12 months. The veteran guard has performed within the beginning lineup and off the bench this preseason, with Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla indicating that he’ll be versatile together with his beginning 5 this season. A participant will need to have extra video games off the bench than begins to be able to win the award.
Vacation averaged 7.4 assists per recreation final season, the fourth-best mark of his profession. He recorded 4 assists per recreation over the preseason, however solely performed greater than 25 minutes in a recreation as soon as over his 4 appearances.
Kristaps Porzingis
Odds to steer the league in rebounding: +20,000
Odds to make All-NBA first crew: +3000
Odds to win Clutch Participant of the 12 months: +10,000
Odds to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months: +9000
Odds to make All-Defensive first crew: +4500
Odds to win MVP: +13,000
Porzingis is an extended shot to walkway with any awards this season, however he stands to have a greater likelihood of creating an All-NBA crew this yr than he did in most different years.
Previous to positionless voting, solely three facilities may very well be named to an All-NBA crew. With Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid dominating the common season over the previous few years, each gamers have been virtually locks to make an All-NBA crew forward of the season.
It’s extremely unlikely that Porzingis will make the All-NBA first crew. However he was closely concerned within the Celtics’ offense in the course of the preseason, and if he places up related stats to what he had final season (23.2 factors, 8.4 rebounds per recreation) it isn’t unfathomable to suppose he might sneak his approach onto an All-NBA crew within the occasion Boston has an important season.
Different participant props
Derrick White to win Sixth Man of the 12 months: +1300 (fifth-best odds)
Derrick White to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months: +6000
Derrick White to make All-Defensive first crew: +1200
Payton Pritchard to win Most Improved Participant: +4000
Payton Pritchard to win Sixth Man of the 12 months: +5500
White might find yourself being the odd man out of the beginning lineup at factors this season. Nonetheless, he began each recreation he performed in the course of the preseason and was considered because the Celtics’ place to begin guard previous to their commerce for Vacation. However he’s coming off what’s arguably the most effective defensive season of his profession, recording 0.9 blocks per recreation, which was essentially the most amongst all guards. He earned a nod on the All-Defensive second crew for his play on that facet of the court docket.
Pritchard was one of many greatest winners of the Celtics’ offseason strikes. With Boston’s choice to consolidate Marcus Sensible and Malcolm Brogdon into Vacation, Pritchard seems to be a daily rotational participant once more.
The fourth-year guard definitely confirmed promise within the preseason, too. He scored 15.6 factors per recreation within the Celtics’ exhibition slate. Nonetheless, it may be powerful sledding for him to earn both award as Most Improved Participant sometimes goes to a participant who turns into an All-Star and he won’t have sufficient scoring alternatives to win Sixth Man of the 12 months.
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