Fans could be in for a long first-round series
The Boston Celtics know who to prepare for in the first round, and they will hope for a change in fortune in this year’s NBA playoffs.
The Celtics and Brooklyn Nets will face off once again in the first round. The Nets, with the Celtics missing an injured Jaylen Brown, won the series 4-1 in 2021.
Some experts believe the Celtics should have no problem against the Nets in this year’s playoffs. However, a longer playoff series could benefit both teams.
Robert Williams is working his way back from injury, and the Celtics would benefit from his defense in the series. Ben Simmons could make his season debut in the playoffs, and he would provide added star power for the Nets on this series and possibly for the playoffs.
FanDuel Sportsbook has opened up odds on series betting where they offer the opportunity to bet on total games for a series. This is simply betting the amount of games the series will go to and not choosing who will win the series.
For people who think either the Celtics or the Nets will sweep the other, that result has the longest odds at 7-to-1. This means that a $100 bet would pay out $800.
The shortest odds, the result that many bettors are expecting, is priced at +170 for the result of a full seven-game series. A six-game series is priced similarly at +180. For those who are expecting the results to match last year’s series, a five-game series, that price is set at +280.
The Celtics hold home-court advantage in the series and will host Game 1 at TD Garden on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.