Celtics’ 2019 NBA Championship Odds Unaffected by First-Round Sweep of Pacers

• The Celtics’ NBA championship odds have hardly budged despite powering to a four-game sweep of the Pacers
• Boston has struggled against playoff-bound teams since the All-Star Break
• The Bucks are a legitimate title threat, but it’s the Raptors who currently provide the most value in the 2019 NBA futures

The Boston Celtics wasted little time disposing of the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics outclassed Indiana during their four-game sweep (Boston’s first since 2011), but have received little reward for their fast start in the NBA title futures.

The Celtics, who had +1500 odds to win the 2019 NBA championship before the playoffs, have climbed marginally to +1400, still third-best in the Eastern Conference.

Odds to Win 2019 NBA Championship

*Odds from 04/22/19

Surging Celtics Sweep Fading Pacers

The Celtics’ rediscovered their groove over the final two weeks of the regular season, going 6-2 straight up in their final eight, including a pair of wins over the Pacers.

They carried that strong play into the opening round, topping Indiana by an average margin of 7.5 points per game during their sweep, paying out with wins against the spread in each of those contests.

Jaylen Brown sweeping the floor as the Boston Celtics sweep the Indiana Pacers to finish the series 👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/PVRWYHMbFa

— kingtisemedia (@kingtisemedia) April 21, 2019

However, while the Celtics’ strong finish proved crucial to their efforts to lock up fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings and home-court advantage in the opening round, their recent success has largely come against teams out of playoff contention; or in the case of the Pacers, an injury-depleted team that limped into the postseason with a 4-9 record in its last 13 regular-season games.

Pacers stop 10-game road losing streak where it began by running over Pistons https://t.co/40PvXDpynk pic.twitter.com/kNrpyX5U01

— IndyStar (@indystar) April 4, 2019

Boston’s Late-Season Success Came Against Weak Competition

Among the Celtics’ opponents during their final regular-season games were the 10th-place Miami Heat, whom they beat in both halves of a home-and-home series, and the also-ran Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards.

Their two late-season SU defeats came at the hands of the playoff-bound Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic.

👀 Celtics and Pacers since the All-Star break

❗️With a win tonight, the Celtics would jump to the 4th spot in the standings❗️ pic.twitter.com/REFmT7pglF

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 29, 2019

Indeed, Boston was far from dominant in matchups with playoff-bound opponents down the stretch, going 3-10 SU since the All-Star Break. And before the Celtics can think about a run towards their first NBA title since 2008, they must first contend with the top seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The #Celtics beat the Bucks in game 7 and advance to the second round. Here's how it happened… pic.twitter.com/5PBO3ks7J2

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 29, 2018

The Celtics needed all seven games, and home-court advantage, to eke out a narrow first-round win over Milwaukee a year ago. This year, they won’t have home-court and they’ll face a vastly improved Bucks squad, after Milwaukee puts the finishing touches on its own sweep of the Pistons.

League-Leading Bucks a Legitimate Championship Threat

Milwaukee emerged as the class of the NBA this season while tallying a league-leading 60 wins. They have not missed a beatin the postseason, handing the Pistons three crushing losses to open their first-round series.

Currently pegged as +110 favorites to emerge as this year’s Eastern Conference champions, the Bucks took two of three from the Celtics during the regular season, capped by a 98-97 win as 6-point home chalk on February 21.

"We have a lot bigger goals ahead of us, but [it’s important] for that group to enjoy it and celebrate it."

Coach Bud on the Bucks' 60 wins: pic.twitter.com/j5iHef3Cfs

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 8, 2019

With a 20-10 SU record against Western Conference opponents, including a combined 3-1 SU mark against Golden State and Houston, the Bucks have also proven capable of competing with the NBA’s best. They provide considerable value at +500 in the NBA championship odds.

[T]he Bucks have also proven capable of competing with the NBA’s best [and] provide considerable value at +500.

However, the team currently sporting the most attractive odds is the Toronto Raptors at +1200.

Raptors Rolling after Game 1 Loss

Winners of 58 games this season, including an Eastern Conference-leading 22-8 record against opponents from the West, the Raptors opened the playoffs in customary fashion, with a loss in Game 1.

Toronto shockingly fell 104-101 to the pesky Orlando Magic as 9.5-point home chalk. But the Raps have taken formidable steps toward rewriting a dismal playoff narrative since, dominating in three subsequent wins, capped by a lopsided 107-85 victory in Game 4 as 5.5-point road favorites.

Kawhi Leonard leads the @Raptors in the Game 4 victory over the Magic with 3⃣4⃣ points.

The Raptors lead the series 3-1.#WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/PArl2l2box

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 22, 2019

Unlike recent playoff disappointments, the Raptors’ best players have risen to the occasion, led by Kawhi Leonard, who has scored 34 or more points in two of the past three.

Despite this success, the Raptors have taken a step back in the NBA championship odds since the end of the regular season, dipping from +1100 to +1200. As the only team in the East that can rival Milwaukee in both top-end talent and depth, they are the best value bet as the opening round draws to a close.

Value Pick: Raptors to win the NBA Championship (+1200)