Boston Celtics NBA Championship Odds: How the Ime Udoka Suspension Impacts the Odds
Boston Celtics NBA Championship Odds: How the Ime Udoka Suspension Impacts the Odds
The Celtics will be without head coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season. A revelation that hasn’t done much to shake the confidence of sportsbooks. Sure, it hurts the Celtics a bit, but they remain the favorites to win it all.
Boston saw their odds lengthen from +550 to +600. That’s a change from an implied 15.4% chance to a 14.3% chance. That still has them clear of the reigning champion Warriors who are given +700 odds, or an implied 12.5% chance.
Looking for the best sportsbook offers? Check out the free bets page
Boston Celtics NBA Championship Odds
As a result, Joe Mazzulla will be the first rookie head coach to be a preseason NBA title favorite since David Blatt in 2014. Blatt’s Cavaliers went on to lose in the NBA Finals. In the history of the NBA, only five rookie coaches have ever won the NBA title. Now Mazzulla is expected to become the sixth.
The Celtics were a great story last season. Had they won the NBA title they would have been the 2nd biggest preseason underdog to ever do so. As a result, sportsbooks are buying into them and expecting that they’ll do it again. However, with a similar roster and no Ime Udoka in 2020, they were a .500 team. Was it roster improvements or the head coach that launched the Celtics back into an elite team? We’re about to find out.
NBA Championship ODDS
| Team | Odds | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Celtics | +600 | 14.3% |
| Warriors | +700 | 12.5% |
| Nets | +800 | 11.1% |
| Lakers | +800 | 11.1% |
| Bucks | +800 | 11.1% |
Click here for NBA Championship odds
A PR Associate at @OddsCheckerUS. Available for Podcasts, Radio, and TV. Quoted in Forbes, Chicago Tribune, Sports Illustrated, and more.