2024 NBA Betting: Is there still value betting on the Boston Celtics? - ESPN

The Boston Celtics have been the favorites to win the Eastern Conference and co-favorites with the Denver Nuggets to win the championship since the season began. But despite such short odds, the Celtics could still have betting value in multiple futures markets. Boston's high level of play has also propelled one of its superstars to make a run at an individual award as a long shot.

Here are three bets worth considering at ESPN BET.

The Celtics are almost even money to win the East, but based on their level of play they should actually be the odds-on favorite. Boston has the best record in the NBA and a seven-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers for the top seed in the conference. If this was a regular-season bet, they would be astronomical favorites to win. But this is a postseason award, meaning the Celtics will have to maintain their high level of play throughout the playoffs… but they seem poised to do just that.

When the season began, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers were deemed the teams most likely to compete with the Celtics in the playoffs. The Bucks had made a big offseason splash, trading for Damian Lillard, and the 76ers were led by reigning MVP Joel Embiid. But Milwaukee has had difficulty fully integrating Lillard, is still dealing with lingering injuries and changed coaches midseason. Now the Bucks are playing subpar basketball under new coach Doc Rivers. The 76ers also have struggled since losing Embiid indefinitely to a knee injury.

Meanwhile, the Celtics have had much more success building synergy with their big offseason acquisitions, adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to their playoff-tested core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Al Horford. Porzingis