Doug GreenbergMar 11, 2026, 07:13 PM ET
Bam Adebayo's historic 83-point game might have been one of the most exciting moments of the 2025-26 NBA season, but it didn't do much to change the view of the Miami Heat in the eyes of bookmakers.
At DraftKings, the Heat's odds of winning the NBA Finals remained unchanged over the span of a week at 200-1. Their odds of capturing the Eastern Conference improved slightly, from 45-1 to 40-1, and they stretched their odds lead to win the Southeast Division from +175 to +105.
Instead, the biggest gainer in the past week was the Boston Celtics, who welcomed the return of superstar Jayson Tatum from an Achilles tendon injury sustained during last season's playoffs. The Celtics won two of their three games since Tatum's return, vaulting them from +900 to +550 for the NBA title in the span of a week. At BetMGM, more bets (27%) were placed on Boston to win the title since Tatum's return than any team.
Their odds trail only the Oklahoma City Thunder's at +135, and they outpace the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs at +750. Tatum's return also devalued the East's other powerhouses: The Cleveland Cavaliers (13-1), New York Knicks (17-1) and Detroit Pistons (18-1) all lengthened in the past week.
In the MVP race, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-800) has all but locked up his second consecutive award between his sustained health and OKC's continued dominance.
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are as of publication.
