The Boston Celtics, powered by their high-octane offense, is the first team to win 20 games this season. With a 20-5 record, the Celtics are the betting favorite to win the 2022-23 NBA championship at +3300 odds according to DraftKings.
Forward Jayson Tatum from the Boston Celtics launches a 3-point shot against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Image: Getty)
The Celtics were the runner-up in last year’s NBA Finals when they lost to the Golden State Warriors. They entered the preseason as one of the three co-favorites to win the 2022-23 NBA championship along with the defending champion Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
After the first quarter of the season, the Celtics are the lone title favorite at +330 odds. The Milwaukee Bucks, with the second-best record in the NBA at 17-6, are the second favorite on DraftKings’ futures board at +600 odds.
TEAM
CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS
Boston Celtics (20-5)
+330
Milwaukee Bucks (17-6)
+600
Golden State Warriors (13-12)
+700
LA Clippers (14-11)
+800
Phoenix Suns (16-8)
+1000
After a slow start, the Warriors are now +700 odds to win back-to-back championships even though they have a 13-2 record and sit in tenth place in the Western Conference.
The Clippers are only 14-11 this season because forward Kawhi Leonard missed 19 games after he rushed back too soon from reconstructive knee surgery. The Clippers are +800 odds to win their first-ever NBA championship.
Celtics Most Efficient Scoring Team in NBA History
The Celtics put aside their preseason drama and posted the best record in the NBA through the first 25 games. Last season under head coach Ime Udoka, the Celtics won the Eastern Conference and went to the NBA Finals thanks to the NBA’s top defense anchored by 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
However, this season the Celtics are crushing teams with their juggernaut offense under new head coach Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics lead the NBA in scoring average 120.6 points per game thanks to their 3-point heavy offense. The current Celtics posted the highest offensive efficiency rating in NBA history at 120.7, according to StatMuse.
It’s one thing to jack up a barrage of 3-pointers, but the Celtics lead the NBA with a 40.2% success rate from beyond the arc. The Celtics shoot the second-most 3-pointers per game with 41.4 attempts, and only the Golden State Warriors shoot more at 43.6%. The Celtics average 16.6 made treys per game, which leads the league.
This season’s Celtics are not just winning game, but also covering the point spread. The Sacramento Kings are the best betting team in the NBA with a 15-7 record against the spread. The high-flying Celtics are the second-best betting team with a 16-9 ATS record.
The Celtics are 11-2 at home this season in front of their rowdy fans in Boston. They also have an impressive 9-3 road record. Most importantly, the Celtics are not just blowing out bad team. They posted a 9-2 record against winning teams.
Overtime seems to be the Celtics’ kryptonite this season. The Celtics played three overtime games and lost all three. With only five total losses this season, the Celtics lost just two games in regulation time.
Tatum Making Strong Case for MVP
Forward Jayson Tatum is currently a slight favorite to win the NBA MVP ahead of Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo from the Bucks, and Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Tatum has never won the MVP before, but he’s currently +270 odds to win the MVP according to DraftKings. Antetokounmpo is +280 odds to win a third MVP, and Doncic is +290 odds to win his first.
It’s not a surprise to see three of the top four scorers are in the MVP hunt. Doncic leads the NBA with 33.4 points per game, and Antetokounmpo is second overall averaging 31.9 points per game. Tatum is fourth with a career-best 30.9 points per game, while adding 8.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Tatum averages three points more per game than last season (26.9 ppg). He’s shooting better across board compared to last season with 48% from the floor, 36.4% from 3-point range, and 86.9% from the free-throw line.
Tatum is not hogging the ball on a bad team. Several of his teammates can find buckets at any given time with six other teammates averaging double digits.
Shooting guard Jaylen Brown averages a career-best 26.7 points per game. Backup guard Malcom Brogdon averages 13.9 points per game off the bench as their Sixth Man, while knocking down 49.4% of his 3-pint attempts. Starting point guard Marcus Smart averages 12.1 points per game, and leads the Celtics with 7.6 assists per game as the team’s floor general.
In Mazzulla’s three-guard offense, guard Derrick White averages 10.8 points per game and shooting 43.4% from 3-point land. Veteran big man Al Horford averages 10.2 points per game and he’s also shooting an impressive 46.6% from beyond the arc.
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