The 2022-23 season is right around the corner and our betting experts have you covered. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be looking at how to tackle some of the league’s best teams and give some best future bets ahead of the start of the season.
Here’s the best-case, worst-case and betting analysis for this year’s Celtics team.
NBA Betting Preview Schedule
Thursday: The case of the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
Friday: The case of the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks
Monday: The case of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers
Tuesday: Who to bet for MVP
Wednesday: Total betting winnings and rewards
October 17: Social Media and Betting
October 18: NBA title odds and favorites
Best case: The Boston Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals last season. Their best case scenario is very clearly to take the next step and win it all. Last season, the Celtics became the best team in the NBA after the new year when measured by Net Rating. Even with their slow start, only the Phoenix Suns finished the season with a better Net Rating. Boston had the best defense in the NBA last season anchored by Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and big man Robert Williams III. The addition of Malcolm Brogdon along with the continued development of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown gives this team one of the best all-around rosters in the NBA. Boston has the shortest chance of winning the NBA title (+575) this season, so that should tell you everything you need to know about their “best case.”
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Worst case: Well that’s clumsy. Ime Udoka’s situation has cast a massive and unforeseen cloud over this franchise and its title hopes. It’s impossible to quantify or predict what this will do to affect teams’ overall effectiveness and ability to win this season. What is a head coach worth to a title-challenging roster? The cynical view is that the hustle and bustle behind the scenes becomes too much for players to compartmentalize and affects their play on the pitch. Defensive anchor Robert Williams III has already been out for 8-12 weeks due to knee surgery. If he doesn’t return or returns in a physically compromised way, it’s a blow to this team given his unique talents. It’s not out of the realm of possible outcomes for this team to suffer an early exit from the playoffs or miss the playoffs all together because the East is strong and deep this season.
The Bet: Jayson Tatum OVER 26.5 PPG
Betting round: Due to the instability caused by Ime Udoka’s situation, I have no interest in betting on this team in the future market. I do think, however, that we can single out some individual players with a confident handicap. Brogdon is one of the most underrated guards in the NBA. I like his pre-season price of +1200 to win 6th Man of the Year. Tatum is clearly the type of young superstar who adds to his attacking package every offseason. After the crushing loss in the Finals, I like that he’s having his best offensive year yet (which is why some of my friends like him for winning MVP), so I’m going to take the OVER on his score prop from 26.5 PPG this season. He has increased his score every season he has played in the league, surpassing last season at 26.9 PPG.