Odds for Celtics to bring home 18

[RyNye]

Saw this graph on Grantland the other day, ranking every team in the NBA by the odds put out by Vegas on their odds to win the NBA title. I am not going to post the whole thing, you can look at it here. But let's just look at the top 10 teams.

Team     Opening Odds     Odds on 12/13      Win Percentage Heat                  +250                           +180                    19.5% Lakers          +500                      +250                    15.6% Bulls             +500                    +500                      9.1% Thunder          +800                       +500                           9.1% Celtics          +2200                   +600                      7.8% Mavericks          +800                           +800                      6.1% Knicks          +2200                   +800                      6.1% Trail Blazers    +1800                   +1800                      2.9% Spurs              +3000                   +2000                      2.6% Magic         +2500                   +2500                      2.1%

(Sorry the columns are screwed up ... the table function on this message board is screwy).

Anyway, obviously this are not a real measure of quality, but rather of confidence in a team's ability to go all the way. Look at where Boston is ... number 5! The Heat, Bulls, and Thunder are obviously ahead of us ... the Lakers will always be up there because they are a brand, even though there team this year, I think, has very little chance of making it further then last year (have they upgraded at ANY position? Josh McRoberts isn't a game changer ...).

Also worth noting the difference between the opening odds and the odds this week, taking into account roster changes. The Celtics went up by a pretty significant margin (the Knicks, too, but not by as much). In fact, there is more confidence in us than in the defending champions.

I am posting this partly because it is interesting to look at, and partially because there are loads of people on this site who claim that the Celtics are undervalued non-contenders, and people have no confidence in our team, when clearly this is not the case. No, we aren't number 1, but number 5 is pretty [dang]ed good.

[PosImpos]

Lakers too high, Mavs too low, otherwise looks about right.

Only teams with a legit shot are Heat, Thunder, Bulls, Mavs in my opinion.  Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, Grizzlies, Spurs in the fringe group.

[Who]

Oklahoma look a good punt out West. Maybe Memphis too, not even listed.

[RyNye]

Oklahoma look a good punt out West. Maybe Memphis too, not even listed.

Memphis are just below the Magic, at number 11.