Based on their dominance during the regular season, the Eastern Conference Finals looked like an inevitable showdown between the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavs. The Cavs secured the #1 seed with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 64-18. The Celtics locked up the #2 seed with a 61-21 record.
The Celtics are the betting favorite to win consecutive conference titles at -145 odds, according to BetMGM. The Cavs are +175 odds to win the Eastern Conference, followed by the long-shot New York Knicks (+1300) and Indiana Pacers (+1800).
To quote the legendary wrestler Ric Flair, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man!” If the Cavs expect to compete for an NBA title, the road to the championship will run through Boston. The Cavs are a popular pick to win the East if you’re looking for a viable alternative other than the Celtics. They’re also the third-highest team on BetMGM’s futures board at +500 odds to win an NBA title behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (+160) and Celtics (+200).
Back-to-Back in Boston: Celtics -145
Case for the Celtics: The Celtics are relentless in the playoffs thanks to a deep bench. During last year’s championship run, they relied heavily on a barrage of 3-point shots to bury their opponents, but this veteran squad also figures out how to win games when they’re having an off night. Championship teams overcome moments when nothing seems to be working, and they find a way to squeak out a win in the fourth quarter. The well-balanced Celtics are the consensus favorite for a reason, and they’re on a mission to win a third conference title in the last four postseasons.
Why You Should Fade Them: Jayson Tatum is not 100 percent with a sore wrist, which makes the Celtics vulnerable. When the Celtics are having a rare off-shooting night, it often leads to a very ugly result, and they lose by double digits. If the Cavs can win a series-long 3-point shooting contest, they’ll be in an enviable position to knock out the Celtics.
Fun Fact: If the Celtics return to the Eastern Conference Finals, this will mark their seventh trip in the last nine postseasons. During their glory days in the 1980s, the Celtics reached the conference finals eight times in nine seasons.
Value Pick: Cavs +175
Case for the Cavs: The younger Cavs do not have the same amount of postseason experience as the Celtics, but their team looked unstoppable during a first-round sweep under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. Seven players averaged double digits for the high-octane Cavs, including sixth man Ty Jerome (16.3 ppg). Cleveland’s mad bombers led the NBA with 44 3-point attempts per game in the postseason. They shot a league-best 44 percent from downtown, including Jermone (50.0 percent), Evan Mobley (47.1 percent), Max Strus (46.2 percent), Donovan Mitchell (45.7 percent), and Darius Garland (41.2 percent).
Why You Should Fade the Cavs: The Cavs exploited the Miami Heat’s porous perimeter defense and shot lights out from 3-point range in the opening round. It’s doubtful that the Cavs can maintain their torrid shooting against a much better defensive squad. The Celtics are the best team in the NBA at defending the trey by limiting their opponent to just 28 percent from beyond the arc.
Fun Fact: LeBron James led the Cavs to four consecutive Eastern Conference titles between 2015 and 2018 during his second stint in Cleveland. They’re seeking their first trip back to the conference finals since James bolted to the L.A. Lakers in free agency after the 2018 season.
Gotham Pipe Dreams: Knicks +1300
Case for the Knicks: The Knicks have a potential path to the NBA Finals if they can ambush the Celtics in the conference semifinals. If they dethrone the reigning champs, there’s no reason they can’t run the table and knock out the Cavs in the conference finals. The Knicks have an elite one-two punch with Jalen Brunson (33.0 ppg) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22.8 ppg). Their starting five, which also includes Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby, logged the most minutes together than any other team in the NBA this season.
Why You Should Fade Them: The Cavs and Celtics have significantly more firepower and a deeper bench than the Knicks. If Anunoby is having an off-shooting night as their third scoring option, the Knicks lack a consistent alternative scorer and playmaker. Plus, they’ve been struggling to cobble together bench points with Deuce McBride in a mini-slump. You can take a flier on the Knicks to win the East at +1300 odds, and they’re also +4000 odds to win their first NBA championship in over 50 years.
Fun Fact: The Knicks have not appeared in the NBA Finals since 1999, which also marked the last time they won the Eastern Conference under Jeff Van Gundy. They made their last appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2000 when they lost to the Pacers when Larry Bird coached them.
Better Luck Next Year: Pacers +1800
Case for the Pacers: The Pacers seek their first Eastern Conference crown in 25 years, but will have to beat the top two teams in the East if they want to reach the NBA Finals for only the second time in their franchise history. Pascal Siakim (22.3 ppg) leads a well-balanced scoring attack with six players averaging double digits. Tyrese Haliburton earned the dubious distinction of the “most-overrated player” according to a poll by his NBA peers, but he’s the glue that holds together the Pacers. Haliburton averages 15.5 ppg, but he also leads the team in assists (12.3 per game) and rebounds (6.5 per game)
Why You Should Fade Them: The Pacers stunned experts last year when they punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals after taking advantage of a banged-up Knicks squad in the semifinals. The Celtics easily beat them after they ran out of gas in the conference finals. The Cavs are one of the few remaining teams in the playoffs who can outrun the Pacers if they force an expedited pace, but they also lack size compared to the Cavs’ frontline.
Fun Fact: The Pacers are also one of the few franchises that have never won an NBA title. They won three ABA championships in the early 1970s, but only made one trip to the NBA Finals after merging with the NBA. The Pacers are the longest shot among the top four seeds to win the East at +1800 odds. They’re also +6500 odds to win the NBA championship.
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