Odds to Win the NBA Eastern Conference: Here Come The Celtics

A little over a month into the 2019-20 NBA season, the top contenders in the Eastern Conference are flexing their muscles but one team is standing taller than the rest and that’s the 10-1 SU Boston Celtics.

Boston may lead the East standings but oddsmakers are sticking with their preseason fave at the top of the list and that’s the 9-3 SU Milwaukee Bucks.

Online sportsbook Bovada has the Bucks at +155 to win the NBA Eastern Conference for the 2019-2020 season. Following Milwaukee is the Philadelphia 76ers (+225), Boston Celtics (+550), Toronto Raptors (+1000) and Miami Heat (+1100) to round out the top five teams.

Celtics Off To Hot Start

Coming into the season, NBA analysts and bettors knew the Boston Celtics would be in contention for the majority of the year but predicting a 10-game win streak this early, you would’ve sounded like a homer.

The Celtics retooled on the fly by swapping point guard Kemba Walker with Kyrie Irving and there were some doubters about how he would fit into Bean Town (notably, myself). Well, Kemba has lived up the expectations by leading the team with 24.5 points per game while shooting 42 percent from behind the arc.

Injuries may still rain on the Celtics parade with Gordon Hayward breaking his hand and expected to be out till January but guard play and wing depth have not been an issue in Boston. It’s the frontcourt. That's the only glaring weakness for the C's is center (Enes Kanter, Robert Williams, Tacko Fall) and it could be their demise when this team gets to the nitty-gritty in the postseason

The Celtics may be a trade away before being a true contender in the playoffs and if you think GM Danny Ainge will add another piece before the trade deadline, now would be the time to get your bet in on Boston.

The Heat Is On

Considered an afterthought in the East after the Bucks and Sixers, the Miami Heat might be the sneaky play to win the Eastern Conference at +1100. The Heat are playing lock-down defense this season and are ranked in the top five in the NBA in points allowed, opponent field goal percentage and opponent three-point percentage.

SF Jimmy Butler has been a huge influence on this by averaging 18.4 points per game and 7.2 assists but it’s been scoring-by-committee in South Beach with six players averaging double-digit points. Miami hasn’t been as sharp on the road this season at 4-3 SU in seven games and their defense has notably dipped when playing away from American Airlines Arena.

The Heat are in a great spot to finish with a top-three seed in the East and should easily win the Southeast Division. Miami will be a handful for whatever team meets them in the postseason and that’s the type of team you want to bet on for this prop.

See the most up-to-date NBA Championship Odds here.

Odds as of November 17 at  Bovada