Sixers open with best eastern title odds next year

[CelticsElite]

Good

I rather the team have a chip on the shoulder. I also want the media to disregard our title chances like last year, and continue to say Tatum wasn't the best rookie

I doubt anyone on the team cares about this, let alone letting it become "a chip on the shoulder". Also we didn't have very high title chances last year, and Tatum wasn't the best rookie (during the regular season at least, which is when ROY voting happens).

they watch espn like a hawk

Players know  everything

[celticsclay]

i am actually going to put some money on the Celtics if I can find these odds at one of the books i use. Even if they got Lebron, I don't think they should be any more than a push against the Celtics. Warriors are actually pretty good odds at that IMO also..

[slamtheking]

fools and their money are soon parted --> i.e. Philly Fans

[PhoSita]

Sixers are 7/2 to win the title same as the Rockets.  Celtics are 8/1.  Warriors of course lead the way at 5/4.  The Cavs are 30/1.

The odds probably factor in the chance that LeBron will join the Sixers.

If LeBron joins the Sixers, I would agree they have the best odds out of any team in the East of making the Finals and winning the title.

Absent LeBron joining them, however, I think they're a good distance away from the Celts, as was made obvious by the 2nd round series this season.

[KGBirdBias]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

[PhoSita]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.


The only issue for Bron is, why leave the East when he continues to have a much easier path to the Finals every year as long as he remains in the East?


If you make the Finals, no matter how thin your team, anything can happen in a 7 game series.  Just look at what happened in 2016.

If you have to beat 2-3 elite teams just to make the Finals, your odds at a title are much lower.  Look at, basically, the entirety of Chris Paul's career.

[mef730]

I知 guessing the odds on certain teams hinges on free agency.

I知 certain by the time training camp rolls around they will look significantly different.

This.

And by the way, this has got to be a dream off-season for Las Vegas. Remember, the oddsmakers aren't "betting" on who they think will win, they're adjusting lines to even out money on each side of the wager. By having several teams in play for LeBron, they'll also have several teams with exaggerated odds. There's going to be money flying all over the place, and the bookies will reap the benefits.

Mike

[SparzWizard]

They have high potential on Embiid, Simmons, Reddick...and a breakout season for Markelle Fultz.

[ETNCeltics]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.


The only issue for Bron is, why leave the East when he continues to have a much easier path to the Finals every year as long as he remains in the East?


If you make the Finals, no matter how thin your team, anything can happen in a 7 game series.  Just look at what happened in 2016.

If you have to beat 2-3 elite teams just to make the Finals, your odds at a title are much lower.  Look at, basically, the entirety of Chris Paul's career.

The gap between the east and west is considerably less than before. The West only went .526 against the East this season.

If we had been healthy, we'd still be playing, Philly has a ton of potential, and if Lebron didn't get some home cooking against Indiana, he wouldn't have made it out of the first round.

Everyone is making GSW out to be a superteam, but if Houston could have done anything right in game 7, they'd be out, and the Lebrons would have won game 1 if they had any sense or could've made a free throw.

Making out of the East is only going to be marginally easier than the West, if the current trend continues.

[Moranis]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.


The only issue for Bron is, why leave the East when he continues to have a much easier path to the Finals every year as long as he remains in the East?


If you make the Finals, no matter how thin your team, anything can happen in a 7 game series.  Just look at what happened in 2016.

If you have to beat 2-3 elite teams just to make the Finals, your odds at a title are much lower.  Look at, basically, the entirety of Chris Paul's career.

How many elite teams actually exist in the West though?  The Warriors sure.  Maybe the Rockets, but if Bron is there he doesn't worry about them.  What other elite teams are in the West though?  The West is much deeper and the 1st round matchups and 2nd round matchups are probably a bit tougher, but both the Warriors and Rockets blew through those rounds (all 4 of those series were 4-1).  Maybe the Spurs with a healthy Leonard are problematic, or maybe age has finally caught up to that team.  Are the Timberwolves or Pelicans going to become elite?  The Blazers were the 3rd seed this year, they most definitely aren't elite. 

While in the East, both the Sixers and Celtics have the potential to be elite as early as next year.  Teams like the Raptors and Wizards, if they don't blow it up and stay healthy, are basically on the same level as the other western teams.  The Pacers and Bucks are young and have potential to take another leap. 

There will likely be 4 or 5 elite teams next year (i.e. true contenders), 2 in the East, 2 in the West, and if there is a 5th it will be whatever team James ends up on (and could obviously be 1 of the other 4 elite teams). 

[tazzmaniac]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.


The only issue for Bron is, why leave the East when he continues to have a much easier path to the Finals every year as long as he remains in the East?


If you make the Finals, no matter how thin your team, anything can happen in a 7 game series.  Just look at what happened in 2016.

If you have to beat 2-3 elite teams just to make the Finals, your odds at a title are much lower.  Look at, basically, the entirety of Chris Paul's career.

Everyone keeps saying Lebron to Houston but I've yet to see a feasible proposal on how it gets done.  Houston doesn't have assets to entice the Cavs to do a sign and trade.  Furthermore, a sign and trade would require salary matching for 35M so the Cavs would still be a luxury tax team.  The Cavs would be better off if Lebron just leaves. 

Trading for Kawhi would be expensive and risky considering how long his injury recovery has dragged on.  Plus there is no guarantee that he'd re-sign with the Sixers or anyone else.  I don't think PG13 is good enough to elevate the Sixers to favorites in the East.  Lebron definitely would make the Sixers the favorites in the East.  They'd have to sweet talk Redick to stay considering they could only offer him the room exception.   

[RodyTur10]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.

If Philadelphia made a trade for Leonard (price: Fultz + Covington + picks) and signed George that team would become extremely dangerous. Let's say they resigned Redick for cheap and also added Thomas. New rotation:

Simmons/Redick/George/Leonard/Embiid (bench: Thomas/Saric/Holmes)

[Moranis]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.


The only issue for Bron is, why leave the East when he continues to have a much easier path to the Finals every year as long as he remains in the East?


If you make the Finals, no matter how thin your team, anything can happen in a 7 game series.  Just look at what happened in 2016.

If you have to beat 2-3 elite teams just to make the Finals, your odds at a title are much lower.  Look at, basically, the entirety of Chris Paul's career.

Everyone keeps saying Lebron to Houston but I've yet to see a feasible proposal on how it gets done.  Houston doesn't have assets to entice the Cavs to do a sign and trade.  Furthermore, a sign and trade would require salary matching for 35M so the Cavs would still be a luxury tax team.  The Cavs would be better off if Lebron just leaves. 

Trading for Kawhi would be expensive and risky considering how long his injury recovery has dragged on.  Plus there is no guarantee that he'd re-sign with the Sixers or anyone else.  I don't think PG13 is good enough to elevate the Sixers to favorites in the East.  Lebron definitely would make the Sixers the favorites in the East.  They'd have to sweet talk Redick to stay considering they could only offer him the room exception.

Best I could come up with was Anderson, Gordon, Tucker, Hilario, Onuaku, Qi, future 1st's for James and Smith.  That would put the Cavs just over the tax line, which I imagine they could get under fairly easily by trading someone like Korver or Tucker to a contender.  Now you may be right, it might still be better for them to just let him walk, but at least there they get a couple of a young guys, some draft picks, and they would still have a reasonably competitive team while their salary is still high (since they will have a high salary next year no matter what).  So if they do that trade they would be (with the BKN slotted in there somewhere)

PG - Hill, Clarkson
SG - Gordon, Korver
SF - Tucker, Osman
PF - Love, Nance
C - Thompson, Anderson
Rest of team - Hilario, Zizic, Qi, Onuaku

Obviously not a contender, but that is probably a low level playoff team in the East, especially if the BKN pick can come in an play right away. 

[libermaniac]

I believe Bron is going to Houston.

Why would he go to Philly when they don't have the shooters? His head will explode with Simmons shooting 30%.

I agree, and I think it makes more sense for Philly to try to trade for Kawhi or add Paul George.

If Philadelphia made a trade for Leonard (price: Fultz + Covington + picks) and signed George that team would become extremely dangerous. Let's say they resigned Redick for cheap and also added Thomas. New rotation:

Simmons/Redick/George/Leonard/Embiid (bench: Thomas/Saric/Holmes)

If you are the Spurs, do you trade Kawhi for Fultz + Covington + picks?  I wouldn't.  I'm not sold on Fultz ... does he have the yips or not.  I think he does.

[celticsclay]

Nothing about Lebron on the Lakers feels weird to me. It feels natural like when Shaq went there (or even Dwight for that matter). On the flip side, Lebron on the 76ers feels very weird to me and hard to imagine. A guy that has been the star of the league his whole career is all of a sudden sharing it with a couple of guys 12 years younger than him? I guess anything happen, but this doesn't even jive with the odds of what was posted for Lebron on here recently.

I would also like to see our rivalry with Philly develop naturally over the next few years without it being all about Lebron...