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The Boston Celtics find themselves underdogs in their first game back of the restarted 2019-20 NBA season according to most online sportsbooks.
This comes as little surprise given their opponent on July 31st is the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks, the two East titans colliding early in the eight-game schedule revealed this past Friday.
All online bookmakers grant the Celtics a +5.5 spread according to online sportsbook amalgamator Oddsshark as of Sunday, June 28th, which is understandable given Milwaukee is squarely in first place in the Eastern Conference with 53-12 record, and Boston two slots behind them in third with a 43-21 record.
Analyzing Boston's eight-game regular season schedule game-by-game https://t.co/PLowVoqOXC via @thecelticswire
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 28, 2020
While the long break could conceivably take a little head off of the steam forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks had built up during the season before the hiatus, they should still be favorites in this contest, arguably strong ones.
Around the rest of the league for restart tilt odds, we see the Los Angeles Lakers slight underdogs to the Clippers on July 30th with a +1.5 spread, and the Utah Jazz also +1.5 underdogs to the New Orleans Pelicans on the two first games of the restart.
Sharing the stage with the Celtics, the Orlando Magic are +1.5 underdogs to the Brooklyn Nets, the Memphis Grizzlies with a +1.5 spread of their own to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Washington Wizards are +3.5 underdogs vs. the Phoenix Suns, the San Antonio Spurs have been granted a +2.5 spread with the Sacramento Kings, and the Dallas Mavericks are +1.5 underdogs to the Houston Rockets to close out the odds on the games restarting the season at Disney’s NBA Campus in central Florida.
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