After starting the season struggling to get above .500, the Boston Celtics are now the favorites to win the title according to FiveThirtyEight.
With a 43% chance to win the Finals, they are significantly above the competition, with Dallas (35%), Miami (15%), and Golden State (7%) rounding out the rest of the list.
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This update comes in the aftermath of a couple of huge elimination games.
In the West, the Mavs have earned the respect of countless fans after dominating the first-place Suns in Game 7. They will turn to face the Warriors in a battle for the ages.
Of course, in the East, the Celtics have become the team to beat after taking care of the defending Champs on Sunday. And while their defensive prowess is impressive, it remains to be seen how they will handle the Heat in this upcoming series.
We’ve already predicted the Celtics losing the Conference Finals in 7 games:
This series will be one of the most exciting in these playoffs so far. Both sides have elite defensive players that are not afraid of playing aggressively and sometimes dirty and have scorers that are capable of making shots and leading their teams to victory. A key injury or two could massively swing the series either way, and we have seen Marcus Smart hobble around a few times during the series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Hopefully, both teams are fully healthy and compete against each other at 100% capability.
In the end, through a Game 7 victory, the Boston Celtics will probably have to endure a heartbreaking defeat to the war-ready Miami Heat. The Heat are a great team in big moments, and Jimmy Butler has proven he has what it takes to be the best player on a championship team. The Celtics are most likely exhausted from the 7-game showdown against the Bucks, while the Heat have had an extra few days of rest. That could be a massive reason they take Game 1, and a reason they end the Boston Celtics eventually in 7 games.
No matter who you have coming out of the East, this series will be an exciting one to watch. The Celtics are young, hungry, and as competitive as you can get. The NBA is better when they are dominating. Regarding the Heat, they are tough, focused, and will not stand to be pushed around by Boston.
Game 1 starts on Tuesday, with the Cs headed to South Florida. That game could very well set the tone for the rest of the series. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
