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The Eastern Conference has been very competitive this season. Each team in the top eight has a winning record, sitting at .552 or better before Monday’s matchups.
However, only the top six teams are guaranteed an NBA Playoff spot. Seeds 7 through 10 will have to compete in the Play-In Tournament to get into the playoffs.
With less than two months to go until the postseason, every game matters more.
Eastern Conference Championship Winner
Below, you will find the NBA Eastern Conference odds, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review).
| The Elite | The Contenders | The Pretenders | The Longshots |
| Celtics -105 | Heat +1400 | Hawks +20,000 | Hornets +100,000 |
| Bucks +300 | 76ers +1600 | Bulls +35,000 | Raptors +100,000 |
| Knicks +600 | Pacers +2500 | Nets +75,000 | Pistons +100,000 |
| Cavaliers +850 | Magic +1000 | Wizards +100,000 |
*Odds from Caesars Sportsbook
Championship Winner – Any Value?
The Boston Celtics look poised to make a run at this year’s NBA Championship. The Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference. However, teams choke and struggle in the playoffs. That’s why we play the games.
The Celtics at -105 doesn’t have much value. However, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are intriguing options.
The Knicks, at +600, is an interesting look. New York is waiting on Julius Randle and OG Anunoby to come back from the injury report. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson is also working his way back and wants to participate in the playoffs. If those three can get healthy for a playoff run and everyone else on the Knicks can stay healthy, New York will be a very hard out, especially in their home games at Madison Square Garden.
On the other hand, the Pacers are sitting at +2500, despite already winning the Eastern Conference in the NBA In-Season Tournament. The Pacers eventually lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in that Tournament, but the team proved it could win in high-pressure situations. Indiana changed up their team a bit since that game. But they only got better with the addition of Pascal Siakam.
Eastern Conference Division Odds
Below, you will find the updated divisional for each of the Eastern Conference teams to win their division, along with their total regular-season wins, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook and Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review).
Atlantic Division
| Team | Division Odds | Season Win Total |
| Boston Celtics | -100,000 | 54.5 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +15,000 | 49.5 |
| New York Knicks | +15,000 | 44.5 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +100,000 | 37.5 |
| Toronto Raptors | +100,000 | 36.5 |
*Odds from Bet365
The Celtics ultimately have the Atlantic Division locked up. Boston has won eight consecutive games at the time of writing this and have 45 wins on the season. The Celtics have the deepest team in the NBA and ultimately have the most skilled starting lineup in the game.
The Celtics have multiple guys they can rely on. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown come first. But after those two, they can create plays for Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday or Derrick White, among many others.
The Celtics destroyed the division this year, going 14-1 against those teams. They’ve also gone 32-6 in the Eastern Conference this season. At home, Boston is 26-3 and has gone 19-9 on the road. This is one of the few teams that hasn’t lost ten or more games on the road this season.
With Joel Embiid injured on the 76ers, Julius Randle out for the Knicks, and the Nets and Raptors struggling to find consistency, it’s over. The 76ers will ultimately win the Atlantic Division.
Central Division
| Team | Division Odds | Season Win Total |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -240 | 50.5 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +150 | 52.5 |
| Indiana Pacers | +3000 | 38.5 |
| Chicago Bulls | +100,000 | 37.5 |
| Detroit Pistons | +250,000 | 27.5 |
*Odds from Caesars Sportsbook
This is ultimately a two-team race between the Cavaliers and Bucks. Cleveland is sitting above the Bucks by one game in the Eastern Conference and Central standings.
The Cavaliers are currently 37-19 and have looked very good on the road this season. On the other hand, the Bucks have dominated at home but are just 14-14 on the road. That’s concerning for a team trying to win a division.
While the Bucks are 9-7 against the division and 26-13 against the conference, the Cavaliers are 8-4 in the division and 25-13 in conference play. The Cavaliers will have more games against the conference down the stretch, which should only help them win the regular season title for the division.
Southeast Division
| Team | Division Odds | Season Win Total |
| Miami Heat | -185 | 48.5 |
| Orlando Magic | +130 | 36.5 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +13000 | 42.5 |
| Washington Wizards | N/A | 24.5 |
| Charlotte Hornets | N/A | 31.5 |
*Odds from Caesars Sportsbook
We’ve got another two-team race between the Heat and Magic for the Southeast Division. The Heat and Magic are both 13.5 games away from the Celtics in the Eastern Conference but are neck-and-neck in the division.
The Heat are 31-25, with an 11-2 divisional record. On the other hand, the Magic are 32-26 but have gone 6-6 against the division. If that continues, the Heat will escape with the Southeast Division.
Orlando has looked tremendous at home but still has a 14-18 record on the road. The Heat are much more consistent, going 16-12 on the road. But even with that, Miami still has a winning record at home.
That’s why the Heat are favorites to win the division. Personally, the Heat have a better chance at finishing off the job.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.