The Boston Celtics could be challenging for a spot in the Eastern Conference next season.
While many NBA fans were sleeping in early Monday morning, the Philadelphia 76ers made a major addition to their team: nine-time All-Star Paul George agreed to join the 76ers on a four-year, $212 million contract, with betting markets valuing the deal as a good fit.
This news cut the 76ers’ odds of winning the NBA championship by nearly half. By the time basketball fans were going to bed, BetMGM had the 76ers at +1400 odds to win the championship.
When they woke up, the 76ers were +800.
76ers move up in the East standings
George and the 76ers were a perfect fit. Center Joel Embiid is a former NBA MVP and guard Tyrese Maxey was last season’s breakout star. Maxey agreed to a five-year, $204 million contract on Monday. But the results were less than satisfactory, with the 76ers losing to the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
This 76ers team, built around Embiid, has never been to the NBA Finals — they haven’t even made a conference final, let alone an NBA Finals, since 2001. Maybe George can help change that.
George is 34 years old and remains one of the best wings in the NBA. He’s played in the NBA All-Star Game the past two seasons and averaged 22.6 points per game last season. The 76ers’ Big Three has suddenly become a force to be reckoned with. George’s signing comes on the heels of the 76ers signing Andre Drummond to a two-year contract to improve their center depth.
At the very least, the Eastern Conference should become a little more interesting.
The Celtics are still the favorites to win the NBA championship
One of the complaints from the last NBA playoffs was that the Celtics’ path to victory was too easy. Injuries and a lack of strong contenders in the East meant Boston was barely challenged in the playoffs. The Celtics won the Eastern Conference by 14 games in the regular season and then won the championship handily.
They remain the favorite to win the NBA Finals in 2025 at +300, followed by the Denver Nuggets at +750, and the 76ers following close behind, tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder at +800.
The George news also changed the odds for the 76ers to win the Eastern Conference. The odds for the 76ers to win the Eastern Conference rose overnight from +650 to +400 at BetMGM. Oddly enough, the New York Knicks (+375) remain second in the conference odds behind the Celtics (+125). The Knicks made a major addition to their roster by trading for Mikal Bridges, who averaged 19.6 points per game with the Brooklyn Nets last season.
The 76ers are on the cusp of winning a championship, or at least returning to the NBA Finals for the first time in more than 20 years, and the odds suggest they’ve taken a big step toward that goal with the addition of George.
