NBA betting: Looking at updated series odds, and if Nets are a good value vs. Celtics
In the first weekend of the NBA playoffs, there weren't too many surprises.
Home teams went 6-2 in Game 1s, and one of the road wins was from the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were favored over the Dallas Mavericks due to Luka Doncic's injury.
How much should a Game 1 win at home mean to the series odds? It moves them, and maybe there's more value in the underdogs now. About 22 percent of NBA teams that lose Game 1 go on to win the series, so all is not lost for those first-game losers. Here are the updated odds for each series at BetMGM:
Celtics (-225) vs. Nets
If you liked the Nets when they were slight underdogs to win the series, you should really like them now.
The odds moved from -140 for the Celtics to win the series to -225, and that seems like a huge bump based on what we saw in Game 1. The Celtics won at home in Game 1, but barely. They got a buzzer-beater from Jayson Tatum to win 115-114 in a thriller. A one-point, buzzer-beating home win by Boston wasn't ideal for Brooklyn bettors, but it also shouldn't bother them too much. If anything, what we saw on Sunday is that the Nets are clearly capable of beating the Celtics in Boston. They just need to finish.
76ers (-450) vs. Raptors
The odds went up from -185 and it seems justified due to the Raptors' injury issues. Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr. and Thaddeus Young are all considered doubtful for Game 2 on Monday, and any or all of them could be limited or out for future games this series.
The 76ers looked great in a 20-point Game 1 win, but the inflated odds here are due more to Toronto's issues.
Bucks (-3000) vs. Bulls
The Bulls comfortably covered a 10.5-point spread in Game 1 and had their chances to win straight up. The Bucks didn't play great and the rest of the series could turn out to be the blowout everyone figured it would be, but +1200 odds on the Bulls seem more palatable after seeing Chicago look competitive in Game 1. The Bucks should still win the series but the odds are enormous, up from -1100.
Jazz (-750) vs. Mavericks
This is one of the two series in which home-court advantage flipped due to a road team winning Game 1. The Jazz moved from -300 to -750, and perhaps this is a chance to take the Mavs. The Mavericks were competitive in Game 1. Luka Doncic is probably going to miss Game 2 with a calf injury, but his return at some point this series hasn't been ruled out. If Dallas can take Game 2 without Doncic, you'd feel pretty good having a +500 ticket on the Mavericks.
Warriors (-500) vs. Nuggets
The most notable thing that happened in Game 1 was Steph Curry returning to the lineup from a foot injury. He was knocking off some rust and should improve as the series goes on. The Nuggets lost by 16 points in Game 1 and they'll have a hard time beating the Warriors unless Nikola Jokic has a series for the ages. The Warriors' odds shifted from -225 to -500 and that seems fair.
Grizzlies (-140) vs. Timberwolves
If you want to find value in the Grizzlies after one loss, it makes sense. Memphis' odds were cut from -300 to -140 after one loss. However, if you watched Game 1 you know that Minnesota was in control the entire game. The Timberwolves looked like they could pull an upset in this series. You've missed the value on betting Minnesota after its Game 1 win, but be careful about assuming Memphis is the right side. The Timberwolves are dangerous.
Heat (-800) vs. Hawks
The Heat's odds moved from -375 after a dominant Game 1 win. In Atlanta's defense, it played an early game Sunday right after two play-in games this week, and the Hawks looked tired. They should be better in Game 2. Just probably not good enough to make the series competitive.
Suns (-5000) vs. Pelicans
The Pelicans almost covered 10.5 points in Game 1, but a late Suns basket pushed it over the line. New Orleans did make things relatively interesting before Chris Paul went off in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. Still, New Orleans isn't winning this series.