Are the Celtics the overwhelming favorites to come out of the East?

With the NBA season starting on October 24th this year, it’s the perfect time to take a more in-depth look at the specific teams participating in the games. In particular, we want to outline some of the reasons why the Boston Celtics could be the favorite team from the East this season. It might come as a surprise since they were beaten by the Miami Heat in the semifinals last season, but this time, they show a lot of potential.

You know what that means? Good news for fans everywhere as they get to watch their team make a comeback. If you want to spice up your watching, you’ll be pleased to know the Commonwealth of Massachusetts started offering online sports betting on March 10th, 2023. That means you can access the legal MA sportsbooks available to check out the odds and wager on the Celtics winning.

Celtics Making it to the Eastern Conference 2022-2023 Finals

In the previous NBA season, the Celtics, who were the league’s favorite, faced the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. That was after they had beaten the 76ers with a 112-88 victory in the semifinals, which was on May 14th this year. Jayson Tatum’s historic performance was one of the main reasons they won, as he poured in 51 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.

As a result, the Celtic’s defense neutralized the newly crowned NBA Most Valuable Player, Joel Embiid. Jaylen Brown, one of the Celtic’s star players, also added 25 points for the team, earning it a lead in the third quarter as they outscored the 76ers 33-10. Unfortunately for the Celtics, they could not beat the Miami Heat in the finals, losing in game 7 with a 103-84 score.

Jrue Holiday, Celtic’s New Point Guard

In 2021, Holiday led the Bucks to the NBA Championship title after he averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. All this happened in 23 postseason matches, all of which he started. Less than a month later, Holiday made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics, where he helped lead the Celtics to victory with 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.

33-year-old Holiday was also an All-Star player last year after coming off a season where he averaged 19.3 points with 7.4 assists. As you can see, the player is a big deal in the NBA Championship league and a valuable asset for the Celtics. His trade-off to the team could increase their advantage over the Bucks and make it the pre-season favorite in the Eastern Conference.



Celtics Journey So Far in the 2023-2024 NBA Season

The Celtics have played four games so far in the 2023-2024 NBA Season, all of which they emerged as winners, averaging 117.7 points, 50.7 rebounds, and 23 assists per game. In their first game against the New York Knicks, Jayson Tatum scored the highest, with 34 points. He also recorded the highest rebounds (11), leading the team to victory with a 108-104 score.

The second game was against the Miami Heat, which marked their first match since the Eastern Conference final. Unlike their last game, though, the Celtics beat the Heat with a 119-111 score, with Derrick White having the highest points (28). Their third game was against the Washington Wizards, where they won 126-107, with Brown as the highest scorer with 36 points. In the Celtic’s final and most recent match, they faced the Indiana Pacers and won with a 155-104 score.

How Far Can the Celtics Go?

The Celtics would be considered the favorites in the Eastern Conference, along with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, the two teams are set to meet on the 23rd of this month, where the outright favorite will be decided once and for all.