The NBA Eastern Conference Finals odds in 2024 clearly show that the Celtics should have an easy run. The best NBA betting sites expect a comfortable victory for Boston, but I’m sure that Indiana will be happy with the underdog label.
The pressure will be on the Celtics to perform, which could be tricky. I explore both sides and the latest lines in this NBA Eastern Conference finals betting preview, before sharing my predictions and best bets for the upcoming clash.
2024 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Betting Odds
You can find plenty of markets for the upcoming Celtics vs. Pacers series at Bovada, one of our favorite sites for NBA betting online. Let’s begin with the most traditional one.
Celtics vs. Pacers Series Winner Odds
- Boston Celtics; -900
- Indiana Pacers; +575
It’s only natural for Boston to be favored by the NBA East Finals odds for 2024, but I didn’t expect such a wide gap. The -900 available for the Celtics equals an implied probability of 90% of winning this series.
That’s probably too much, even if I agree with the overall sentiment. The situation is pretty similar with the series MVP odds, where the bookmakers expect a Celtic to grab the award.
NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP Odds
| PLAYER | MVP ODDS |
|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | -230 |
| Jaylen Brown | +340 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | +1100 |
| Derrick White | +1400 |
| Pascal Siakam | +1900 |
| Jrue Holiday | +7000 |
| Myles Turner | +15000 |
Jayson Tatum is the leading favorite in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP betting odds. The -230 available for him to win the award is around 70% in implied probability, while Jaylen Brown is the only other player with a realistic chance (if we trust Bovada’s oddsmakers).
I must admit that the +1100 for Haliburton is very tempting, since a victory for the Pacers would almost certainly require a heroic performance from the young start throughout the entire series.
More NBA Eastern Conference Finals Lines For 2024
Bovada currently offers 16 markets for the upcoming series, so you can find plenty of more exotic NBA Eastern Conference Finals bets there.
For example, there are totals and spreads for the series, a game 1 and series winner double, correct score, exact order of wins, and many more NBA Eastern Conference Finals betting lines.
Boston Celtics – Can They Finally Win The Title?
The Boston Celtics entered the postseason as a major favorite in the NBA Championship odds for 2024 and very little has changed after the first two rounds. The team with the best regular season easily beat Miami and Cleveland on the road to the East Finals.
The Celtics lost one game in each series, giving some people the opportunity to overreact and declare them mentally weak. I have concerns over this team’s mentality myself, but losing a game per series is nothing to worry about.
Sure, the Heat were without Jimmy Butler, but they shot 23/43 from behind the arc in the only game they won.
Any NBA team good enough to reach the playoffs could explore on any given night, so that’s hardly a cause for concern. Their defeat against the Cavaliers was similar, with Cleveland shooting almost 50% from three.
The important part is that the Celtics have been excellent in most of their games. Jayson Tatum is averaging over 24 points, 10 rebounds, and almost 6 assists per game so far in the postseason.
He’s also excellent defensively, but his shooting splits of 43/28/87 show a lack of efficiency. Fortunately, the team has a total of five players averaging above 10 points per game in the playoffs, so the load is spread nicely.
Jaylon Brown, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all consistently scoring for Boston. The only concern is the Latvian big man’s injury because he is expected to miss the first two games, at the very least.
That’s not such a big deal against the Pacers, since Al Horford provides a reliable cover. This team is too deep to care about one player, as long as it’s not Tatum or Brown.
The Pacers struggled to contain a depleted Knicks side in the previous round, so stopping the Celtics offense will be a challenge. I expect plenty of points from Boston, which should be enough to win the series comfortably.
The real challenge will come in the NBA Finals, where the Celtics could potentially face a much more balanced opponent. This could prove to be beyond head coach Joe Mazzulla’s abilities, but beating the Pacers shouldn’t be an issue. The Celtics are much better defensively, which should decide the series.
Indiana Pacers – Can They Upset The Odds?
When was the last time we saw a team with SEVEN players averaging over 10 points in the playoffs? I’m too lazy to check, but the Pacers have done exactly that in this postseason.
All starters are contributing double digits, but the bench often helps, too. Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t have to do too much on his own, which is definitely a big advantage.
However, the defense has struggled so far, just like in the regular season. Indiana failed to contain a Knicks roster that suffered from multiple injuries to key players throughout the series.
When a team with so many injuries scores over 120 points in three of the games and over 100 in six, it doesn’t bode well. The Pacers will have to rely on remarkable scoring splits to win games because their defense is way too leaky.
They will try to inject pace and chaos into the series. The Celtics will be tempted to engage at times, which should open the door to a win or two for the Pacers, but I can’t see much more.
Tatum, Brown, and the supporting cast will find it too easy to score too often, so this should be the end of the road for Indiana.
2024 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Predictions And Best Bets
The most reasonable prediction for the Eastern Conference Finals is to back the Boston Celtics to beat the Indiana Pacers. And yet, the latest odds for the finals are simply not worth a wager on the favorite to just win.
Backing the Pacers is too adventurous, though, since their defense will likely struggle in this game.
Pro Tip
If you insist on backing the Pacers in this series, you should bet on Tyrese Haliburton to be the MVP of the Eastern Finals at +1100 instead. He is the player with the highest ceiling, so any victory for Indiana would require miracles from the guard.
The smart choice for the Eastern Conference Finals would be to go after the specials. I’ve explored different options, and I really like the -390 available for the Celtics to win game 1 and the series.
Boston beat the Heat by 20 and the Cavs by 25 in the series openers, while Indiana will be exhausted from the cracking clash against the Knicks. The first game of the East Finals should be comfortable, and the same applies to the series as a whole.
-390 might look unappealing to many, but short odds don’t necessarily mean a lack of value. Both parts of the wager come with a very high probability, so the return is more than enough for me to back the Celtics.
Where To Bet On The NBA East Finals?
I recommend Bovada for betting on the NBA Playoffs as a whole. They have plenty of props, specials, futures, and even bet builders for every single game.
You can always check our NBA AI picks for some help if you’re not sure how to approach each match from the Boston vs. Indiana series. We also have a betting preview of the West Finals, which is similar to this one.
If you follow our predictions or go after other wagers, Bovada offers a lucrative 100% bonus of up to $1,000 for new customers that can be used to bet on the NBA Playoffs.
