While the Boston Celtics remain favorites to win both the East (-140 on ESPN BET) and the NBA championship (+185), the return of Joel Embiid from knee injury on Tuesday and the announcement Thursday that Julius Randle (shoulder surgery) is out for the season could have major ramifications for how the playoff play out.
Return of the MVP. Will Embiid's health allow him to dominate?
Embiid's return could make the 76ers contenders again ... with a lot of ifs.
If Embiid is healthy, and if the 76ers can play their way out of the Play-In Tournament and into the playoffs, then they would have a team capable of competing against anyone, including the Celtics.