Sixers? Knicks? Who Can Challenge Boston in the East this Season?

As the new NBA season gets underway, there is most certainly a sense that the Boston Celtics are the team to beat once again. The 18-time champions really took an “if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it” policy in the offseason, and it’s hard to argue with the tactic. The champions were dominant from start to finish across the 2023/24 NBA season, and it’s really difficult to make an argument that – barring some injury crisis – they won’t go on a similar run again.

That said, just because the Celtics are the favorites – they have odds of +310 to make it NBA Championship no.19 next June – doesn’t mean they can’t be stopped. The preseason favorites tend to win the NBA Championship around 35% of the time, so it’s certainly no affirmation of a team’s destiny.

Looking at the NBA odds, the Oklahoma City Thunder is the team tagged as the Celtics’ most likely (in betting terms) opponent in the Finals. However, the Celtics have to get their first, and that means getting through the Eastern Conference. In fairness, the Celtics breezed through the East last season, but teams have strengthened their hand over the past few months.

Without making predictions, let’s look at some of the Celtics’ challengers in the Eastern Conference:

New York Knicks

NBA Championship Odds +800

Eastern Conference Finals Odds +350

They had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference last season, albeit with a huge 14-game gap to the Celtics, and they managed to make it to the Conference Semi-Finals before coming up short against the Pacers. The Knicks are seen as a team on the up, and they arguably made the biggest trade of the offseason by adding Karl-Anthony Towns. The big man will make a difference in New York, that’s for sure, but have they done enough to challenge? Knicks fans, you suspect, will be happy to see more progression this season, but there is much to admire about what Tom Thibodeau is doing. Don’t write them off.

Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Championship Odds +900

Eastern Conference Finals Odds +400

You never can tell how a team is progressing in the offseason, but there are lots of positive vibes coming out of the Sixers’ camp. Most notably, Joel Embiid seems absolutely locked in. He’s convinced of his own chances of delivering an MVP-worthy season, and he’s bullish about the Sixers’ chances of usurping the Celtics. Paul George will be a welcome addition in Philadelphia, and he may be the key to turning potential into more.

Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Championship Odds +1400

Eastern Conference Finals Odds +700

The 2021 champs lost in the First Round of the Playoffs in the past two seasons, and they were fairly limp exits, too. Yet, they have Giannis, as well as Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, and that means you always have a chance. Much has been made about the roster’s average age, but the experience might also count for a lot. They are one of the best teams in the East; it’s just a question of what they can do once they reach the Playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Championship Odds +6000

Eastern Conference Finals Odds +1800

The Cavs are pretty interesting. They changed their head coach, with Kenny Atkinson coming in, but did not do a lot in offseason trade business. The prevailing theory is that the front office believes there is enough potential in a young team to come of age. You tend to forget that they made it to the Conference Semi-Finals last season, and while they were whipped by Boston, they showed enough across the season to warrant some confidence that Atkinson can get a tune out of the roster.

Orlando Magic

NBA Championship Odds +6500

Eastern Conference Finals Odds +2000

Reaching the Playoffs last season was a mild surprise for Orlando fans, but there should be more to come this season. They might just be the most exciting team in the NBA coming into the new season, although they probably are still a season or two away from being true contenders. Still, sports history is littered with examples of teams pulling off shock championship wins, and there’s a lot to like about the Orlando Magic and its roster of young stars.