Even with a first-year head coach, the Celtics have not experienced any hangover from their Finals defeat. They’ve been the best team in basketball this season, full stop, after making marginal upgrades to a roster that was two wins away from hoisting the franchise’s 18th banner. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both continued their upward ascent, offseason trade acquisition Malcolm Brogdon is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate and despite injuries that have sidelined Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III, the defense has not slipped much.

Boston ranks fourth in defensive rating, fourth in offensive rating and first in net rating. Only the Warriors make more three-pointers per game and the team is also in the top 10 in assists and rebounds per game. The core of the roster has plenty of playoff experience with Tatum, Brown and Smart all making multiple trips to the Conference finals together prior to the championship appearance a season ago when it went through perhaps the toughest possible path.

The Celtics are the rightful favorite, of course. But there’s always risk attached to betting on a team that’s so far ahead of the field. There was value in the preseason when Golden State, not Boston, had the shortest odds to win. Joe Mazulla has his team hurtling toward a 55-plus-win season and these odds might only shorten as the postseason approaches. The C’s are the team to beat.

Value Bet: Philadelphia 76ers (+1100)

This iteration of the 76ers has never made it out of the second round. Despite back-to-back MVP runner-up campaigns by Joel Embiid, Philadelphia has fallen flat in the semifinals in consecutive seasons under coach Doc Rivers. Trading for James Harden at the deadline last year did not put the team over the top, but there’s reason to believe that this version of the Sixers has what it takes to finally break through.

Philly ranks seventh in offensive rating, fourth in defensive rating and fifth in net rating. It owns the fourth-best record but has the seventh-best title odds. Embiid leads the league in scoring, again, at 33.6 points per game, and is again making an MVP case and Harden’s 11 assists per game would be the best mark in basketball had he played enough games to qualify. Tyrese Maxey, after a breakout postseason, has emerged as a third star alongside Embiid and Harden and offseason addition De’Anthony Melton has carved out a role in the starting lineup.

The next few months will tell a lot about the 76ers, who have the second-hardest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.com. Philadelphia is 3–2 so far against the three other top-four seeds in the East (Boston, Milwaukee and Brooklyn). It will have to get past one or more of those teams in a seven-game series come playoff time, which makes holding on to home court advantage crucial. With Embiid, the Sixers always have a case for having the best player on the floor, which so often makes the difference in April, May and June.