Hey, NBA fans, what a fun-filled season we have had? And in a great fashion, the Golden State Warriors have regained their last decade dominance and reached the NBA Finals after thrashing the Mavericks four-one. On the other hand, there is the Eastern Conference and the Miami Heat, and the Boston Celtics are entangled in a heated battle. The Heat tied the matters in the last game, making it three-each behind Jimmy Butler’s explosive night that saw him drop 47 points after a cold spell. Can the Celtics once again win against the Heat to prove a point?
Bet on Miami Heat-Boston Celtics
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Handicap: Bookmakers from 22bet keep favoring the Celtics and have given them the favorable odds of 1.69 to clinch the game. The series has mostly consisted of blowouts and the Heat has lost twice on their home floor. Both teams have been vulnerable at home during this series and instead of being an advantage, it has proved to be a disadvantage. However, I believe the Heat will utilize their home-court advantage and beat the Celts here. (Handicap 1 -4.5 for 2.95)
Player Props: Bookmakers at bet365 predict odds of 1.83 for Jimmy Butler getting over 26.5 Points (At least 25 Points). After a period where he scored below 15 points in three straight games, Butler blasted 47 points and with a win away from being in the Finals, he will be up for a big night. I will bet on this incredible leader.. (Player Props: Player Points: Jimmy Butler Over 26.5 for 1.83)
Total: Bookmakers at 1xbet give the Total of Under/Over 195.5 the odds of 1.97. The total in the six games has been 214, 173, 184, 212, 229, and 225, which means it has been under the above mark twice in six games. I don’t align with the bookmakers here again and I believe the total will go way over 195.5 (Total Over 197 for 2.10)
Where to Watch Heat vs Celtics
This game is available on the NBA League Pass.
Miami Heat: Butler has been the key
The Miami Heat has fallen apart when Jimmy Butler has been struggling and when he scored half of his average during the Playoffs, the Heat ended up losing twice in a row and scored 82 and 80. Butler scored 47 in the last game, directly resulting in a win for the Heat so yes, he will have to unlock a big scoring night yet again. Lowry is yet to even hit the 40% field goal mark and he had his best Playoff game during Game 6 when he had 10 assists, scored 18 points, and four out of nine triples. Strus recovered from a 0 point night and nailed 13 points whereas Adebayo continued to be under single-digits but his defensive impact is good enough most nights. On the other hand, PJ Tucker had 11 points and when he is scoring in double-digits, it is a big boost for the Heat. Not having Herro has hurt as Oladipo and Vincent have been inconsistent off the bench. I believe the Heat will have their most balanced scoring effort here.
Boston Celtics: Can they shut down the Heat again?
The Celtics have been doing a great job on the defensive end and it has not been easy to keep Butler quiet, which they did for three straight games. Tatum has been the leading producer but he has been committing way too many turnovers. Meanwhile, Marcus Smart has been struggling too due to his injury but Jaylen Brown has done a decent job as a scorer. Derrick White has shown huge improvements compared to the earlier parts of the series and he nailed 22 points. Robert Williams has been a big-time defender whereas Al Horford despite some of his off nights, brings a lot to the table. Grant Williams’ minutes have reduced significantly because his offense hasn’t been getting it done. The Celtics will need to contain Butler again, will they be able to do it?
Heat vs Celtics: possible lineups
- Heat most likely starting five: PG: Kyle Lowry | SG: Max Strus | SF: Jimmy Butler | PF: PJ Tucker| C: Bam Adebayo;
- Key Bench Players: Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson;
- Celtics most likely starting five: PG: Marcus Smart | G: Jaylen Brown | SF: Jayson Tatum | C: Robert Williams III | C: Al Horford;
- Key Bench Players: Derrick White, Grant Williams.
