- The Boston Celtics have 18 championships, as they won the 2024 NBA Finals.
- Jaylen Brown was the Finals MVP.
- Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday were signed to long-term deals.
The Boston Celtics brought home their 18th championship last season, and they hope to bring home another this upcoming season.
NBA futures odds are available at the BetMGM online sportsbook, including online sports betting odds for NBA champion, division winner, and player awards.
Boston Celtics Futures Odds
Win Total: 58.5
Atlantic Division: -165
Eastern Conference: +150
NBA Championship: +310
The Celtics enter the season as the NBA odds favourite to repeat.
Game 5.
Banner 18.#PhantomCam captured every defining moment of the Celtics becoming 2024 NBA Champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JeanRMf0ho— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2024
Boston’s basketball odds to win the NBA Finals were +400 last preseason, and they shortened to less than +300 from the All-Star break through the postseason.
Boston Celtics Offseason Moves
The Celtics locked in Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Jrue Holiday into long-term deals, keeping key pieces of their championship core in the mix for years to come.
Boston Celtics Additions
| Player | Position |
| Tristan Enaruna | Power Forward |
| Ron Harper | Power Forward |
| Baylor Scheierman | Shooting Guard |
Boston Celtics Departures
| Player | Position |
| Oshae Brissett | Small Forward |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | Small Forward |
Boston Celtics 2024-25 Betting Prediction
Prediction: Under 58.5 Wins (-130)
I predict the Celtics will go under 58.5 wins this upcoming season.
Although this group won 64 games last season, I expect the Celtics to experience a bit of a championship hangover and drop some games early in the season due to a combination of fatigue and complacency.
It also doesn’t help that Kristaps Porziņģis will likely be out for the first few weeks, if not months, of the season after offseason surgery on his foot.
Make no mistake, though. The Celtics are still in a prime position to repeat as champions, given the depth, well-roundedness, and team-first mindset this team possesses.
Tatum proved he can be a difference-maker out there on the floor in other ways when his shot isn’t falling. His drives to the rim cause the defence to collapse and throw extra bodies his way, but instead of forcing shots, he kicks the ball out to an open teammate. Tatum’s rebounding and defensive versatility have also significantly improved.
Jaylen Brown showed that he can step up offensively when Tatum struggles, especially as a slasher to the rim on and off the ball. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP also took on the assignment of guarding the opposing team’s best player, often picking them up full court, which has forced many turnovers and given the Celtics plenty of easy points in transition.
Throw in the backcourt tandem of Holiday and White, who are both pests defensively on the ball and at the point of attack. Both also demonstrated the capability of hitting timely 3-point shots and attacking the rim as they best see fit.
As Porziņģis proved in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he can be an absolute nightmare to defend, especially as a third option. He can take defenders off the dribble, hit the triple, and exploit mismatches in the post, possessing many traits of elite guards and bigs in a 7-foot-3 body. KP is also an A-list rim protector, but his ability to guard multiple positions on the wing bolsters Boston’s defence even further.
When you consider Hauser’s 3-point shooting, especially as a catch-and-shoot specialist, and Payton Pritchard and Al Horford’s all-around play on both sides of the floor, coupled with the latter’s veteran presence, there’s not a whole lot to hate about this roster heading into the season, provided all stay healthy.
Tatum was benched for two of Team USA’s games, and Brown was completely left off the roster, which could motivate both to take their games up a notch.
The Celtics are going to be right back in the mix as a championship contender next season, but the top teams in the East are going to be stronger next season, and it’s hard to ignore a combination of fatigue, complacency, and a championship hangover not being a factor early on in the season.
As long as another banner hangs in TD Garden by season’s end, I doubt many people in Boston will care too much about the C’s hitting the over on this win total or not.
