The NBA returned from All-Star break last night with 24 of the league’s 30 teams in action. Bojan Bogdanovic’s 22 points and six 3-pointers helped the Knicks beat the Joel Embiid-less 76ers 110-96, ending their losing streak at four. The Knicks, strengthened by the returns of Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Hartenstein and Bogdanovic, will next open the league as the Celtics visit Madison Square Garden on Saturday for the first time since Boston’s season-opening victory in New York. Face your biggest challenges.
Even if the Knicks bring back Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson before the postseason begins, the Celtics, who won their seventh straight game last night in Chicago and improved to a league-best 44-12, are on track to reach the NBA. remains the biggest hurdle. The first final in a quarter of a century.
The Knicks are a favorite sleeper to win the Eastern Conference (third-best odds at +700 on DraftKings), while the Celtics are nearly even money (+115) to win the Eastern Conference. , and boasts almost twice the title odds (+260). They are as strong as the defending champion Nuggets (+475).
It’s hard to argue that this book is wrong.
