Local radio station believes Boston Celtics title odds got worse

98.5 The Sports Hub’s Matt Dolloff isn’t overly confident about the odds of the Boston Celtics winning the 2023 NBA Championship after the trade deadline — mainly due to the field improving far more than the Cs did.

While the 2021 west champs Phoenix acquired Kevin Durant and 2022 Western Conference title team Dallas adding Kyrie Irving to a backcourt with Luka Doncic, Dolloff sees the Mike Muscala trade with the Thunder as one barely moving the needle.

In a trade deadline recap, Dolloff went as far as to say the Celtics’ title chances got worse:

"“The 2023 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and the Celtics made one move for bench depth. Their top competition out west, meanwhile, got aggressive and improved their championship chances.”“By extension, Boston’s chances of winning it all went down, if by only a tick.”"

A small move could do big things for the Boston Celtics

Doubt the Muscala trade if you must Mr. Dolloff. The career 38% long-range sniper could very well provide the Cs exactly what they need to navigate the postseason. Muscala has never been on a team this close to a championship, flying under the radar in Atlanta and OKC — with pitstops in Philadelphia and Los Angeles with the purple and gold — while shooting in a wildly efficient fashion.

Never much a game-changer, Muscala will fall outside the top eight in the rotation if it shrinks by the postseason. But on the high end, he can be a tertiary option any night he steps in — particularly if he fills the knock-down long-range catch-and-shoot role the Houdini envisions out of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown double teams.

The 2013 Heat had a number of complementary shooters off the bench. But Boston doesn’t need Muscala to be for the Celtics what Ray Allen was to that Miami team. They just need him to fill the Rashard Lewis role from that season.

This small splash could contribute to a championship wave.