NBA Playoffs 2023: Despite A Seesaw Battle Against Philly, The Celtics Remain The Title Favorite At +165

There are still eight teams alive in the NBA Playoffs but in the eyes of sportsbooks only four teams have a legitimate shot at hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy this June. Despite a tough test from Philly, Boston retains homecourt advantage in their series as they head home at 2-2. Oddsmakers still have faith in the Celtics to advance and win the whole thing, pricing them as the favorite halfway through the Eastern Conference playoffs. In the West, the Lakers have a golden opportunity to put the Warriors into a 3-1 hole tonight. That opportunity, plus their overall play this month has slid them into a tie for second in the futures market with Denver. Here is a breakdown of the odds to win the NBA Championship. 

2023 NBA Champion

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The winner of the Celtics-76ers series is well-positioned to at least make an appearance in the NBA Finals. That's because the Heat and Knicks have both made surprising runs this playoff series, but appear to be out of gas in the second round. The Heat have struggled with injuries (Herro, Butler) and the Knicks have struggled to score consistently. Julius Randle, in particular, has hit a major skid (32.8% FG L5) and they would likely find themselves in deep water against Philly or Boston. 

The West is far more fluid with all four teams posing a significant title threat. The Nuggets have the MVP runner-up, Nikola Jokic, who is averaging an astonishing 36.5/14/9.5 against the Suns. The Suns are dealing with another Chris Paul injury, but Devin Booker has gone thermonuclear in the playoffs (36.7 ppg). We know what Steph Curry is capable of for Golden State, but he'll need help to stage a comeback against the Lakers. And finally, LBJ and Anthony Davis have turned back the clock and the Lakers retooled roster has proven to be perfectly balanced for a title run.