In a matter of moments on Monday night, the Boston Celtics shifted from NBA title contenders to long-shot underdogs.
The turning point came when star forward Jayson Tatum went down with a potentially serious injury to his lower left leg during the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the New York Knicks.
Tatum went down in pain and was helped off the court holding his ankle — a troubling moment for Boston fans and a serious hit to the Celtics’ postseason hopes.
With the loss, the Celtics now trail the Knicks 3-1 in their second-round playoff series, placing them just one defeat away from elimination
Prior to Game 4, despite being down in the series, Boston was still seen as a strong contender second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder in championship odds.
But following Tatum’s injury and the Game 4 defeat, their odds have plummeted to +3000 on BetMGM, with only the Golden State Warriors listed with longer odds.
This dramatic development has sent ripple effects through the betting market for all remaining playoff teams.
The Thunder, who are currently tied 2-2 in their series with the Denver Nuggets, have now emerged as clear favorites to win the title.
Heading into Game 5 on Tuesday, Oklahoma City is listed at even odds to win the championship a shift from the +130 odds they held after evening their series on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have climbed to second in the odds race at +500, followed closely by the Minnesota Timberwolves at +600.