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Sixers now among NBA title favorites after Game 5 win in Boston

After beating Boston in a crucial Game 5, the 76ers now have the shortest NBA title odds at FanDuel.

Sixers center Joel Embiid celebrates in the fourth quarter Tuesday with guard James Harden.
Sixers center Joel Embiid celebrates in the fourth quarter Tuesday with guard James Harden.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

How critical was the 76ers’ Game 5 win in Boston?

It was convincing enough that in the minutes following the final horn, they had the shortest odds to win the NBA Finals, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

FanDuel made the Sixers +280 favorites after Tuesday night’s victory in Boston. The Sixers were just ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (+370) on the odds board.

But early Wednesday morning, after Denver blew out Phoenix in Game 5 of their Western Conference series, FanDuel had the Sixers and Nuggets both listed at +290 to win the NBA title.

» READ MORE: Joel ‘The Process’ Embiid makes NBA his domain in Game 5 of Eastern Conference semis

Odds as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Subject to change.

NBA Finals odds at FanDuel

  1. Sixers +290

  2. Nuggets +290

  3. Lakers +370

  4. Celtics +420

  5. Suns +1100

  6. Warriors +1500

  7. Heat +1500

  8. Knicks +8500

It has been quite a remarkable two-game turnaround for the Sixers, who, as of Sunday morning, had the longest odds just to reach the third round of the four teams trailing 2-1 in their second-round series.

At the time, the Celtics were the NBA title favorites. Now, Boston heads back to Philadelphia needing to win Game 6 on the road to force a seventh game at TD Garden.

What’s clear is that whichever team emerges from the Sixers-Celtics series is going to be the heavy favorite to advance out of the Eastern Conference with eighth-seeded Miami likely on deck in the next round. The Heat have a 3-1 series lead over the Knicks but have the same odds as the Warriors, who trail their series with the Lakers, 3-1, to hoist a championship trophy.

What about the other sportsbooks?

While FanDuel was one of the only major sportsbooks to have the Sixers as outright favorites late Tuesday night, others — like DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM — had the Sixers and Lakers with the same odds, anywhere from +300 to +350.

Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the rest of the Sixers squad against LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Lakers? Who wouldn’t sign up for that?

Sixers-Celtics odds

The Sixers, obviously, are now favored for the first time this spring to get past the Celtics.

FanDuel priced the Sixers at -196 to win the second-round series, and Boston was at +164 in the moments after Game 5.

As for Game 6, FanDuel opened the line at Celtics -1.5 points, meaning the Sixers are a small home underdog.