Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Prediction, Picks and Odds for Game 2
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Betting Analysis
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his player prop prediction for Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Game 2 battle from TD Garden in Boston, MA. Jimmy Butler has averaged 31.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 5.5 apg so far through the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Betting Odds
| Friday, May 19 | NBA Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Miami Heat +9 vs Boston Celtics |
| Total: | 216 Points |
| Arena: | TD Garden in Boston, MA |
| Game Time: | 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT |
| TV: | TNT |
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Betting Analysis
The No. 8 seed Miami Heat and No. 2 seed Boston Celtics play Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night.
The Heat stole homecourt advantage with a 123-116 victory despite entering the contest as 8.5 point favorites.
The Celtics now face what is essentially a must win game at TD Garden before traveling to Miami for games 3 & 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 PM / 5:30 PST.
Celtics Struggle Down the Stretch
This game was eerily similar to the Game 1 loss against Philadelphia last round as Boston led by 9 at halftime and looked like they would cruise to an easy victory.
Miami stole the victory though, outscoring Boston 66-50 in the second half while allowing 46 points in the 3rd quarter. Jayson Tatum led the team in scoring with 30 points while also recording 7 rebounds.
Jaylen Brown had strong all around effort with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists while Marcus Smart recorded a 13 point, 11 assist double-double.
Malcolm Brogdon led the team in scoring off the bench with 19 points. The Celtics owned the paint with a scoring margin of 62-40 but committed 15 turnovers that led to an extra five shots for the Heat.
Boston ranks 2nd in offensive efficiency and 3rd in defensive efficiency. They went 32-9 on their home floor during the regular season but only 4-4 at home in the playoffs. The Celtics sport a clean injury report entering Game 2.
Playoff Jimmy
Jimmy Butler has always shined on the brightest stages and nothing has changed this season as he has averaged 31.5 points per game in the post-season after averaging only 22.9 PPG in the regular season.
He posted another incredible performance on Wednesday night with a game high 35 points to go along with 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 steals.
Bam Adebayo was second in scoring with 20 points while leading the team in rebounds with 8. The Heat were on fire from three-point land shooting 16-31 (51.6%) from beyond the arc.
Six different Miami players scored 15 points or more with four players hitting exactly 3 three-pointers. The Heat are doing are getting the job without arguably their second best player in Tyler Herro and a key role player in Victor Oladipo.
Both players have been out since Round One and neither is close to returning. Miami ranks 25th in offensive efficiency and 8th in defensive efficiency. They went only 17-24 on the road during the regular season but have gone 4-3 on the road in the playoffs.
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics Prediction
The Boston Celtics enter this contest as 9 point home favorites with the total set at 215.5. When a team loses Game 1 at home in the post-season they typically bounce back and win big in Game 2.
Boston lost to the Sixers in Game 1 and stormed back in Game 2 with a 34 point victory. Miami beat Milwaukee in Game 1 only to lose by 16 in Game 2. Out West we saw the Lakers win Game 1 against the Warriors before getting crushed by 27 points in the second game.
In these scenarios the higher seed is typically the stronger team and will play with a sense of desperation while the road team is already satisfied to have won the first game.
I don’t expect Miami to ease up whatsoever, but I also don’t see them shooting above 50% from long range on a nightly basis.
The Celtics have already proven they can cover this spread at home against the Heat with a 13 point victory during the regular season. The amounts to the most crucial game of season for the Celts and I’m backing this historical trend.
Expert Prediction: Boston Celtics -9 -110 Draftkings
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NBA Tip-Off Show | May 19
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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