NBA Eastern Conference Winner Predictions & Odds: How Will the Absence of Tatum and Haliburton Affect the East?

• The Indiana Pacers represented the East in the NBA Finals last season

• Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton will miss most or all of the season

• Cleveland added Lonzo Ball to their roster over the summer

NBA Eastern Conference Odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Use our promo code WSNSPORTS to sign up for a BetMGM account and claim the following bonus offer: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets*.

Rest of the teams listed at +2200 odds and higher.

NBA Eastern Conference Winner - My Pick

Cleveland Cavaliers (+220) at BetMGM Sportsbook

The Cavs won the East during the regular season, but only by three games. The Celtics came close to grabbing the top spot, but no other team was within 12 games. The impressive season wouldn’t end up mattering, as they fell to the Pacers in the conference semi-finals. While losing before the conference finals was a letdown, we believe they will make up for it this season.

The Boston Celtics lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury last year and could miss most, if not all, of this season. The Indiana Pacers, who went to the NBA Finals last season, will also be missing their top star in Tyrese Haliburton. With those two perennial MVP candidates missing, the East is expected to be far less competitive.

We believe the Cavs' starting lineup of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen is one of the best in the league. With a bench that will now include a healthy Lonzo Ball, this team has all the tools to win the East and possibly an NBA title this season.

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How to Bet on the NBA Eastern Conference Winner

Start by visiting BetMGM or your favorite sportsbook. Navigate to the NBA page, where there will be a tab labeled “Futures”. Simply scroll down until you see the “2025/26 NBA: Futures” section. You will find odds to win both conferences available there.

We always recommend spending time researching NBA future bets, especially for conference winners. Placing bets early can provide the best odds, but it also makes winning even harder. Spending some time doing your homework will increase your chances of winning and help build better betting habits.

How to Read NBA Eastern Conference Winner Odds 

Reading the odds for the NBA Eastern Conference winner is a quick and straightforward process.

When reading odds from a sportsbook, you’ll see numbers with a (+) or (-) in front of them. The plus sign means that you will win the number after it when betting $100. If the number has a minus sign, you need to bet that amount to win $100. 

Where to Bet on the NBA Eastern Conference Winner

We prefer to use BetMGM Sportsbook when betting on the NBA Eastern Conference winner. The Vegas-based gambling giant offers one of the best betting experiences in the industry, bringing Vegas-style betting straight to your phone, tablet, or computer. All new users who sign up with BetMGM with our WSNSPORTS can claim the following welcome offer: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets*.

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NBA Eastern Conference Winner History

The East has been viewed as the lesser NBA conference for a long time, making it hard to pick a winner since LeBron James left the Cavaliers. Below are the previous ten winners of the NBA Eastern Conference.