Sixers now NBA title favorites, according to at least one sportsbook
Sixers #Sixers
How critical was the Sixers’ Game 5 win in Boston?
It was convincing enough that they now have the shortest odds to win the NBA Finals, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
FanDuel made the Sixers +280 favorites after Tuesday night’s game in Boston went final. The Sixers were just ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (+370) on the odds board.
Joel ‘The Process’ Embiid makes NBA his domain in Game 5 of Eastern Conference semis
Odds as of 10 p.m. Tuesday night. Subject to change.
NBA Finals odds at FanDuel (before Suns-Nuggets game result)
It has been quite a remarkable two-game turnaround for the Sixers, who as of Sunday morning had the longest odds of the four teams trailing 2-1 in their second-round series’ to just reach the third round.
At the time, the Celtics were the NBA title favorite. Now, Boston heads back to Philadelphia needing to win Game 6 on the road to force a seventh game in Boston.
What’s clear is that whichever team emerges from the Sixers-Celtics series is going to be heavy favorites to advance out of the Eastern Conference with eighth-seeded Miami likely on deck in the next round. The Heat have a 3-1 lead but have the same odds as the Warriors, who trail their series with the Lakers, 3-1, to hoist a championship trophy.
What about the other sportsbooks?
While FanDuel was one of the only major sportsbooks to have the Sixers as outright favorites, others — like DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM — had the Sixers and Lakers with the same odds, anywhere from +300 to +350.
Joel Embiid, James Harden and the rest of the Sixers squad against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers? Who wouldn’t sign up for that?
Sixers-Celtics odds
The Sixers, obviously, are now favored for the first time to get past the Celtics.
FanDuel priced the Sixers at -196 to win the second-round series, and Boston was at +164 in the moments after Game 5.
As for Game 6, FanDuel opened the line at Celtics -1.5 points, meaning the Sixers are a small home underdog.
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