Celtics 2024-25 Betting Preview: Prediction, Roster Projection

After winning the 18th championship in franchise history, the Boston Celtics hope to become the first back-to-back NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2018.

NBA futures odds are available at the online sportsbook, including Boston Celtics odds for NBA champion, division winner, and player awards.

Celtics Futures Odds

Win Total: 58.5
Atlantic Division: -150
Eastern Conference: +170
NBA Championship: +325

The Celtics enter the season as the NBA odds favorites to repeat.

Boston was +400 to win the NBA Finals last preseason, trading shorter than +300 from the All-Star break through the postseason. Their +325 value is the team’s shortest preseason championship odds since 1986-87, when they were +160 to win it all.

The Celtics’ win total (58.5) is four games higher than last year’s after they finished 64-18.

Celtics Offseason Moves

The Celtics kept their championship core intact by paying multiple key players this offseason.

Additions

Departures

The Celtics prioritized their championship roster this summer, re-signing or extending Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and Derrick White. This limited their free agency options.

However, one name to watch is Baylor Scheierman, who was selected as the No. 30 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.

Scheierman, a five-year college player, averaged 18.5 points per game last season with Creighton. He shot 38.1% from 3-point range and made 3.1 triples per contest, indicating what he can provide as a Boston reserve.

Celtics 2024 Betting Prediction

Prediction: Payton Pritchard to Win Sixth Man of the Year (+10000)

I bet Payton Pritchard as my favorite NBA Sixth Man of the Year odds long shot on Sept. 17. He is now +5000 to win the award.

This award has recently gone to key reserves on teams that win a lot of games. Malcolm Brogdon won it for the Celtics in 2022-23, averaging 14.9 points per game for a team that won 57 games.

It’s easy to envision Pritchard having that type of campaign this year.

Pritchard, 26, is entering his fifth NBA season for the defending champions. He did his part as a reserve during last year’s playoff run, including the series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers when he averaged 11.2 points and 22.6 minutes per game off the bench.

With starting point guard Jrue Holiday in his age-34 season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pritchard get more minutes in the regular season to save the starter for the postseason. It also doesn’t hurt if the Celtics continue to dominate their opponents, giving Pritchard some extended run to put up shots.

This is my favorite and only bet involving the Celtics this season. I’ll wait to see if there is value on them in the futures market down the road.

2024-25 NBA Team Previews & Predictions