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Celtics begin series with Heat as massive favorites to reach NBA Finals

After bullying the Sixers in Game 7, the Celtics now head into the Eastern Conference finals as huge favorites over Miami.

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum celebrates after making a three-point basket during the third quarter of Game 7 against the 76ers on Sunday.
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum celebrates after making a three-point basket during the third quarter of Game 7 against the 76ers on Sunday.Read moreYong Kim / Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

In an alternate universe, this would be the reality for Doc Rivers and the 76ers: a home game Wednesday night at a raucous Wells Fargo Center to begin an Eastern Conference finals series — Philadelphia’s first since 2001 — that has the Sixers as big favorites to advance to the NBA Finals against the eighth-seeded Miami Heat.

That was the fate waiting for the Sixers and Celtics. Get past the semifinal series, and destiny would be in your hands.

Of course, you know where things stand. Rivers no longer has a job, and the Sixers find themselves questioning what their future looks like. That Game 6 in Philly on Thursday night loomed large, and might have decided some NBA history, too.

Boston’s season continued, and now the Celtics start the conference finals with Miami as a huge favorite to reach the next round and a smaller favorite to win the whole thing.

Celtics vs. Heat series odds (BetMGM)

  1. Celtics -550

  2. Heat +400

You won’t get many spreads this wide when it comes to series betting this late in the NBA playoffs. But that’s what happens when the No. 2 seed meets the No. 8 seed. The Celtics, last year’s NBA runners-up, have the more talented roster, with the star, Jayson Tatum, who torched the Sixers in a record-setting Game 7.

Miami has ... Jimmy Butler.

That’s been plenty in the past, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has proven he can get the most out of his rosters. So, yes, the Celtics are huge favorites, but would it really surprise you to see Butler and the Heat push Boston to the brink ... again?

» READ MORE: Who will replace Doc Rivers? Proven coaches, recent staffers and outside-the-box options for the Sixers to consider.

Celtics vs. Heat Game 1 odds

  1. Point spread: Celtics -8.5

  2. Money line: Celtics -375; Heat +300

  3. Total: 210.5 points

Boston opens the series at home Wednesday night (8:30, TNT) pushing double digits as a Game 1 favorite.

The teams split their season series, 2-2. And you don’t need to look too far in the past to see what happened when the teams last met in the playoffs. The Celtics narrowly survived in Game 7 to reach the NBA Finals last season.

Game on.

NBA title odds

Denver opened its Western Conference series Tuesday night with the Los Angeles Lakers and escaped with a 132-126 victory.

Here’s how the odds for NBA champion look Wednesday morning at BetMGM:

  1. Celtics +105

  2. Nuggets +190

  3. Lakers +475

  4. Heat +1200

» READ MORE: The best social media reactions after the Sixers fire Doc Rivers