Giannis Antetokounmpo injury fallout: Celtics replace Bucks as odds-on favorites to win 2023 NBA championship

The Milwaukee Bucks worked for 82 regular-season games to earn the best record in the NBA, home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and be listed as betting favorites entering the playoffs to win it all at BetMGM, but it took just one disastrous game and an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo for Boston to overtake Milwaukee as the title favorite.

Milwaukee lost at home to Miami on Sunday, 130-117, as Antetokounmpo fell hard on his back on a drive to the basket during the first half and exited the game during the second quarter. The good news is that X-rays showed no fracture and that series doesn't resume until Wednesday, so the Greek Freak could be fine by then. The Heat also have injury woes of their own. Miami's Tyler Herro broke his right hand while diving for a loose ball just before halftime. Herro will miss several weeks. The Bucks are still -230 to win the series. 

To win the NBA title, the Bucks shifted from +275 to +375 following that loss, while Boston has moved from +350 to +280 following its easy 112-99 win over Atlanta in Game 1 on Saturday. The game was all but over by halftime and the Hawks shot just 5-for-29 from deep. 

The Celtics are taking the biggest handle at BetMGM at 17.1% to win the NBA title and the most tickets at 13.3%. Antetokounmpo is still the +330 favorite for NBA Finals MVP, followed by Boston's Jayson Tatum (+350).

Phoenix rose from +450 to +500 following its 115-110 home upset loss to the Clippers, who were playing without All-Star Paul George, on Sunday. It was the Suns' first Game 1 playoff loss in their last three postseasons with the Devin Booker-Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton core.  Phoenix had gone 6-0 in Game 1s over the last two postseasons, twice as many Game 1 wins as any other team had in that time.

The Suns had been 8-0 this season in games Kevin Durant had played. He scored 27 points in the loss. Phoenix is No. 3 in tickets sold (12.2%) and in handle (13.9%). Durant is third for NBA Finals MVP at +700. 

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