The Celtics went from one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals to one of the biggest underdogs in a blink on Monday night.
Jayson Tatum’s potentially serious lower left leg injury cast a pall over the second round. Tatum collapsed to the ground in the fourth quarter of the Celtics’ Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks and had to be carried off the court after he was writhing in pain and grabbing at the back of his ankle.
The Celtics are now down 3-1 to the Knicks and a loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs. Despite entering Game 4 down 2-1 in the series, Boston was the No. 2 favorite to win the Finals behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now the Celtics are +3000 at BetMGM to go back-to-back and only have odds better than the Warriors.
Tatum’s injury and the Celtics’ loss caused a huge shift in the market for nearly every team remaining in the playoffs. The Thunder are now the clear favorites to win the Finals despite currently being tied 2-2 with the Nuggets.
Oklahoma City was already the favorite to win the Finals after tying its series with Denver on Sunday, but the Thunder are now even-money to win it all ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday night. Game 5 will be Denver’s seventh game in 13 days after its first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers went seven games.
The Knicks are the No. 2 favorite at +500 and the Timberwolves are +600. Minnesota took down the Warriors in Game 4 late Monday night to go up 3-1 over Golden State with a home Game 5 looming. The Warriors have been without Stephen Curry for the last three games of the series because of a hamstring strain and his status for Game 5 on Wednesday is very uncertain. That uncertainty is reflected in the Warriors’ odds too. As everyone else is either 30-1 or greater to win the Finals, the Warriors are +15000 to be the champions.
NBA Finals odds
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Oklahoma City Thunder (+100)
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Minnesota Timberwolves (+600)
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Cleveland Cavaliers (+1000)
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Golden State Warriors (+15000)
Eastern Conference odds
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Cleveland Cavaliers (+450)
Western Conference odds
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Oklahoma City Thunder (-190)
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Minnesota Timberwolves (+240)
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Golden State Warriors (+8000)
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