The Eastern Conference is seen as the little brother in 2019-20, as most of the best NBA players are in the West this year. However, there is a pretty impressive division in the East and that is the Atlantic Division. The defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors reside there, but they won’t be the favorites to win it after the offseason departure of Kawhi Leonard. The Philadelphia 76ers will be the team to beat while the Boston Celtics are another talented team. The division race should come down to those three teams and it should be a competitive matchup throughout the year.
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Atlantic Division Odds Analysis
Philadelphia 76ers -222
Boston Celtics +370
Toronto Raptors +685
Brooklyn Nets +1200
New York Knicks +12500
Atlantic Division Odds Analysis
The oddsmakers have pegged the 76ers as the solid favorites to win the Atlantic Division in 2019-20. The main reason is the presence of superstar big man Joel Embiid and talented guard Ben Simmons. They both could be All-Stars this season and the group has added Al Horford to bring some toughness and experience down low. While Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick left, the 76ers did retain Tobias Harris, who is another talented player. The 76ers have what it takes to compete for a championship this year if things go well, and winning the division would be the first step.
It won’t be a walk in the park, as there are other teams with talent. The Celtics may have watched both Horford and star point guard Kyrie Irving depart this offseason, but they still have a solid nucleus. The team signed Kemba Walker in free agency, and there is the belief that some better chemistry in Boston will help the team have a stronger year. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are a pair of talented players, and by adding Walker there are plenty of options on offense.
The Raptors have dropped back because Leonard bolted for the Clippers after leading Toronto to a title last year. Despite that big loss, the Raptors still have players like Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol, which is a good enough nucleus to keep this team in the race. Everyone will need to step their game up a bit in order to make up for the loss of Leonard, but Toronto shouldn’t be counted out.
The Brooklyn Nets are a bit of a wild card. Irving ended up there in free agency alongside Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan. If Durant was healthy, this team might have been the favorite to win the Atlantic, but he could miss most or all of the year with a torn Achilles. Irving is a good player but is not expected to have enough help in 2019-20 to win the division.
The team that is a near lock to finish last is the New York Knicks. They were hoping to woo Irving and Durant to Madison Square Garden but the duo had no interest and now the Knicks could be one of the worst teams in the league.
There seem to be three teams with a legitimate chance at winning the Atlantic Division unless Brooklyn is somehow able to throw its hat in the ring. The 76ers make sense as the favorite but there are always concerns about Embiid’s ability to play a full season. If he is sidelined at any point, it could open the door for the Celtics to steal the Atlantic. Boston has better odds and should be under consideration.
NBA Pick: Boston Celtics to win the Atlantic Division at +370 odds
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