Will there be a new Atlantic Division champion in the 2025-26 season?

The Boston Celtics have dominated the division in recent seasons, winning it by 10 games in the 2024-25 campaign, but with Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, the C’s are third in the odds to win the division this season.

This year, the New York Knicks (-370) are massive favorites to come out on top in the Atlantic, as they are coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance and have the fourth-best odds to win the title this season.

Boston traded away a bunch of pieces – mainly Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday – in the offseason, pushing the team down to third in the latest odds. 

Let’s break down each team’s chances of winning the Atlantic in the 2025-26 campaign. 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

New York Knicks

There’s no doubt that the Knicks should be favored in this division, and their odds at -370 translate to an implied probability of 78.72 percent that they capture this division. 

The Knicks return all of their core from their Eastern Conference Finals run, and they added two important bench pieces in Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in the offseason. There’s also a chance that veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon (who is on a training camp deal) makes the final roster for New York. 

The biggest change in the Big Apple? A new head coach. Mike Brown is in for Tom Thibodeau, and the Knicks are hoping he can bring a more diversified offensive scheme with him. The Knicks became extremely iso-heavy and reliant on Jalen Brunson in the playoffs, but they have multiple formidable offensive players around him in Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. 

With the Knicks expected to finish with a top-two seed in the East, they should run away with this division – barring injury – in the 2025-26 season.  

Philadelphia 76ers

Speaking of injuries, the Philadelphia 76ers already have a few with Paul George, Jared McCain and Joel Embiid all banged up at the start of camp.

The 76ers added No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe to the fold, but it’s unclear how quickly he can make an impact for a team that failed to even make the play-in tournament in the East last season. 

These odds for the Sixers are based on the team’s upside if Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey all stay healthy, but last season showed that a scenario like that is extremely far from a guarantee.

In fact, even if Embiid is healthy, the 76ers are likely going to manage how much he plays in hope that he can be fresh for the postseason. That’s a bad recipe when it comes to winning the division, as the Sixers likely won’t have the night-in and night-out continuity that the Knicks will have in their rotation. 

Boston Celtics

Boston is a bit of a wild card in this division, but it would be my No. 2 choice to win it – making these +950 odds pretty enticing.

Tatum is likely out for the season, but he does appear to be ahead in his rehab. So, could Boston consider bringing him back if it is in the playoff mix late in the regular season?

It’s certainly possible, although the rest of the Celtics’ roster is weaker than it was in the 2024-25 season with Porzingis, Al Horford and Holiday all exiting Boston in the offseason. 

Toronto Raptors

Toronto may be one of the more intriguing teams in the Eastern Conference, as it will finally test out a lineup of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl this season.

While it seems like that team could have a solid floor, there is a clear lack of shooting in that lineup and injuries really derailed the Raptors last season. Can Barnes, Ingram and Barrett all mesh on the wing? 

Oddsmakers aren’t sold on Toronto winning the division – and neither am I – but the Raptors could be in the play-in tournament mix in the 2025-26 season. 

Brooklyn Nets

After Brooklyn traded away Cameron Johnson and drafted five rookies in the first round, it was pretty clear that the 2025-26 season was going to be a rebuilding year, and these odds reflect that.

While Jordi Fernandez was able to get his team to clear its win total last season, there isn’t a scenario where the Nets win this division in the 2025-26 campaign. 

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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