What oddsmakers are projecting for Celtics, top players on eve of 2024-25 NBA season

Oddsmakers are expecting another big season from the Celtics.

The Celtics open their title defense on Tuesday as a major favorite to win it all again.

Boston is currently the odds-on favorite to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship at every sportsbook. However, the Celtics are seeking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the 2017-18 Warriors.

As the Celtics have high hopes to win it all again this season, let’s take a look at what oddsmakers are projecting for them in the upcoming season, with odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Celtics team odds

Odds to win title: +310 (best in the league)

Odds to win Eastern Conference: +155 (best in conference)

To finish with most regular-season wins: +185 (best in the league)

Win total: 58.5 (highest in the league)

The Celtics are the clear favorite to win it all entering the regular season, a bit of a change from how they’ve entered the last two years. Boston was actually tied for the best odds to win it all entering last season, with it and Denver holding +450 odds to win the title at the start of the year.

This year, the Thunder have the second-best odds to win the title entering the season. While they’ve gained some love recently on the odds market, they have +650 odds to win it all. So, there’s a bit of space between them and the Celtics.

In terms of the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have the second-best odds to take the conference throne this season at +400. The 76ers aren’t far behind them with +450 odds. They each made big additions this offseason, with New York acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while Philadelphia signed Paul George.

But it’s evident that the Celtics, who returned virtually everyone who contributed to their title, are the team to beat. Their 64 wins were seven more than anyone else in the league and 14 more than anyone else in their conference last season. So, it’s no surprise that their title odds and win total are the highest in the league.

Jayson Tatum odds

Odds to win MVP: +1500 (sixth-best odds)

Odds to be named first-team All-NBA: -110

Odds to win Clutch Player of the Year: +5000

Odds to be named first-team All-Defense: +2200

Odds to win Finals MVP: +600 (best odds)

Odds to lead league in scoring: +9000

Points per game total: 26.7

Oddsmakers are expecting another big year from the Celtics’ top star, with his odds projecting him to have a season in line with what he’s done the last few years.

Tatum has the sixth-best odds to win MVP after finishing in the top-six of MVP voting in each of the last three years. He also has minus-odds to make first-team All-NBA, something he’s done in each of the last three seasons.

Oddsmakers also project Tatum’s scoring to be nearly identical, when he scored 26.9 points per game. Tatum finished seventh in the league in scoring.

With the Celtics having the best odds to win the title, Tatum, naturally, is the favorite to win Finals MVP. However, Tatum didn’t win Finals MVP last season, with that honor going to Jaylen Brown.

Jaylen Brown odds

Odds to win MVP: +10000

Odds to be named first-team All-NBA: +2500

Odds to win Clutch Player of the Year: +8000

Odds to be named first-team All-Defense: +2200

Odds to win Finals MVP: +900 (second-best odds)

Points per game total: 23.7

Similar to Tatum, oddsmakers are projecting Brown to have a year similar to what he had in 2023-24. Brown, whose only notable regular-season accolade was being named an All-Star, is a bit of a long shot to win some of the league’s individual honors.

Brown averaged 23 points per game last season, so his 23.7 points per game projection is a very slight increase from last year. His best chance to earn a major end-of-season accolade might come on the defensive end, though. Brown and his Celtics teammates thought he was snubbed from being named to an All-Defense team last season after he averaged 1.2 steals per game.

Brown’s defensive play in the NBA Finals might help the narrative get going for him to be named to an All-Defensive team this season. That narrative certainly helped him win Finals MVP last year, too. He has the second-best odds to win that award again this year, seeking to become the first player since Kevin Durant (2017-18) to win the honor in back-to-back seasons. The fact that the Celtics’ two top stars are the two favorites for Finals MVP might further show just how big of a favorite they are to win the title entering the year.

Jrue Holiday odds

Odds to win Defensive Player of the Year: +5000 (11th-best odds)

Odds to be named first-team All-Defense: +550

Odds to win Finals MVP: +7000

Holiday has been among the league’s top defensive guards for several years, earning his sixth All-Defensive team honor. Oddsmakers expect another big defensive year out of Holiday, giving him the second-best odds among all guards to be named first-team All-Defense.

It should be noted that voting for the All-Defensive teams is positionless for the second straight year. That hurt guards as there weren’t any guards named first-team All-Defense.

Derrick White odds

Odds to win Defensive Player of the Year: +10000

Odds to be named first-team All-Defense: +1000

Odds to win Finals MVP: +7000

White isn’t too far behind Holiday in the odds to earn defensive honors, which makes sense because he’s been named second-team All-Defense in each of the last two years. White averaged 1.2 blocks and one steal per game last season, making him the only guard in the league to average at least one of each per game.

Other notable odds

Joe Mazzulla to win Coach of the Year: +1100 (third-best odds)

Payton Pritchard to win 6th Man of the Year: +4000

Mazzulla has the best odds of any member of the Celtics’ organization to win a major award this season. He finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting last year. Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse have won the award in the season after helping their respective teams win the title, so there is some precedent for Mazzulla to possibly win it.

As for Pritchard, he’s a bit of a long shot to win 6th Man of the Year. He’ll likely have to up his production from the 7.5 points per game he averaged last season to be a serious candidate for the award.