The Boston Celtics’ odds of getting back to the NBA Finals took a significant hit, as their head coach Ime Udoka has been suspended for the entire 2022-23 season.
The talent is still there on the roster, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way, so this team is still expected to be very good, but the looming question will become how can this team navigate through the distractions?
Boston Celtics Game 1 Matchup Preview
The Celtics will be facing off against their historic rivals in the Philadelphia 76ers to begin the season, as both teams are widely expected to be in the mix to win at least the conference.
The Celtics will have their hands full in trying to shut Joel Embiid down in the paint, especially with Robert Williams III being unavailable for this game. They’ll have to hope Al Horford can hold his ground against the perennial MVP candidate.
NBA Stats
James Harden will also be sure to inflict some damage in this one with his ability to put up some well-rounded NBA stats, so it will be imperative for the Celtics to prevent him from getting to the free-throw line.
If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can put up high-scoring performances, then the Celtics have a great chance of winning this game.
2022 Boston Celtics Schedule
The Celtics have some tough NBA matchups to begin the season, as they’ll be facing off against the Sixers on opening night and then will face off against the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers as part of their first five games of the season.
They’ll get a nice and easy matchup with the Orlando Magic in the third game of the season, but their pedigree will still be tested in the early portion of the season.
Boston Celtics’ Odds
The Boston Celtics‘ odds to start the season off with a winning record aren’t the greatest given the circumstances given the dysfunction surrounding their organization, but if they’re able to get great veteran leadership out of guys like Al Horford and Marcus Smart, then that’ll go a long way of softening the blow of losing their head coach.
Boston Celtics Season Props
NBA betting odds have the Celtics at the top of the league in a potential win total, as they’re sitting with an over/under of 55.5 wins.
However, it’s worth noting that this may have been calculated before the Ime Udoka suspension, so there may be a dropoff in expectations for the Celtics this upcoming season.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should be able to continue their scoring excellence. They both should have a great shot of averaging at least 25 points per game this season.
Boston Celtics 2022 Season Odds
Despite the organizational conflict taking place, the Boston Celtics’ odds of winning a championship remain high, as Jayson Tatum is going to continue his rise as one of the best young players the league has to offer.
Tatum has the ability to score in a multitude of ways, as he can shoot the three, create his own shot in the mid-range and get to the basket at will. Jaylen Brown is also emerging as one of the deadliest scorers in the league.
There’s been lots of talk about the Celtics potentially breaking up the star duo of Tatum and Brown since they both have a lot of overlapping skill sets.
NBA Finals as Teammates
However, they both got to the Finals together as teammates, so those conversations may be put to rest so long as this team is able to continue their success.
The addition of Malcolm Brogdon should go a long way in giving this team the playmaker they so desperately needed last season, as it will take a ton of playmaking pressure off of Marcus Smart.
Brogdon will also add another presence as a shot creator and someone who is willing to attack the rim, which will help take apart opposing defenses.
Celtics 2022 NBA Title Odds
The Boston Celtics’ odds to win the NBA Finals remain high, as they didn’t lose anybody significant from a player’s standpoint from last year’s Finals run and were able to add Malcolm Brogdon.
However, it is significant that they won’t have the head coach that brought them there last season at all this upcoming season, as Ime Udoka really helped this team navigate through challenging waters and also helped give them a defensive identity.
Celtics’ Defensive Unit
The Celtics have a ton of scoring and a sound defensive unit, as:
- Al Horford
- Marcus Smart
- Jaylen Brown
- Grant Williams
Were all really able to get under the skin of Kevin Durant during their first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets last season.
If they’re able to put it together and minimize distractions, then this team should still have a great chance to get to the Finals.
Celtics Playoff Odds
The Celtics will almost certainly still get to the playoffs. They have all the talent to get there. But the biggest question remains whether they can minimize distractions and make a deep run in the playoffs.
Celtics Atlantic Division Odds
The Celtics will have a ton of competition they’ll have to face to take home yet another Atlantic Division title, as they’ll have to fight with the:
- Brooklyn Nets
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors
This season. All four of these teams are almost certainly playoff bound, so any losing streak could jeopardize their chances of coming out on top.
The Celtics are favored by many to win the division this upcoming season, and it’s hard to blame people for favoring them so highly.
There are still a lot of question marks to go around in Brooklyn and Philly, and the Raptors are still a very young team.
Celtics Eastern Conference Championship Odds
The Boston Celtics’ odds of getting back to the Finals are pretty high, but the road to get there won’t be easy by any means.
They’ll have to go through the:
- Brooklyn Nets
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat
- Cleveland Cavaliers
They went to seven games with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, as Giannis Antetokounmpo had a playoff series for the ages.
However, Khris Middleton being out proved to hurt the Bucks more than they could’ve imagined, but if Middleton is healthy in a potential playoff series this upcoming season, then the Bucks could come out on top.
If you are going to make NBA betting picks, the situation in Brooklyn is also worth watching, as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving may be motivated to really show out after being swept by this team in the first round of the playoffs last season.
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