Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/27/2024

Game Time: 6:00 pm ET, Saturday, April 27, 2024

Venue:  Kaseya Center, Miami, FL

Where to Watch:  TNT, MAX

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Celtics -9, Heat +9; Over/Under:  205 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Celtics -9, Heat +9; Over/Under:  205 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Celtics -9.5, Heat +9.5; Over/Under:  205.5 points

Boston Celtics:  64-18 (1st place, Atlantic Division)

Miami Heat:  46-36 (2nd place, Southeast Division)

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Boston Celtics:  7-3 last 10

Miami Heat:  7-3 last 10

The Celtics are entering this game with a 64-18 record overall to finish the regular season and they were 27-14 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Miami Heat in their last game. Jaylen Brown led the team in points in that game with 33 while Jayson Tatum was next on the team with 28 points. Kristaps Porziņģis and Derrick White each led the team in assists in that game with 4 while Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Al Horford each led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 46.3% from the field, 37.5% from 3-point range, and 71.4% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 120.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 109.2 PPG against them. The Celtics have an ATS record of 42-37-5 this season and their O/U record is 44-40.

The Heat are entering this game with a 46-36 record overall to finish the regular season and they were 22-19 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Boston Celtics in their last game. Tyler Herro led the team in points in that game with 24 while Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin each were next on the team with 21 points. Tyler Herro led the team in assists in that game with 14 while Bam Adebayo led the team in rebounds with 10. They were 49.3% from the field, 53.5% from 3-point range, and 77.8% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 110.1 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 108.4 PPG against them. The Heat have an ATS record of 43-41-2 this season and their O/U record is 37-49.

The current betting odds have the Celtics listed as a 9 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 3 of a 7 game series between the 1st seeded Celtics and the 8th seeded Heat for Round 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. This series is all tied up 1-1 after the Heat won game 2 of this series on the road. The Heat fought hard to get to this series, earning their playoff spot through the play-in tournament but also losing their star player Jimmy Butler in those games. The Heat weren't given much of a chance without Butler in these first 2 games, being a double digit underdog in both, but they managed to fight hard in game 2 and came away with the outright win to even up this series. Now the Celtics are headed to Miami needing to flip the home advantage back in their favor and that loss on their home court is only going to motivate them more in this game. The Celtics were the best team in the entire NBA this season, the only team to finish with over 60 wins, and they were also a really good road team with their 27-14 road record. They also had the best home record in the NBA this season so losing that game to the Heat without Butler is only going to burn them more so expect them to respond in this 1st road game with their best effort now that they know the Heat can beat them without their best player. The Celtics still have the best team in the NBA and they aren't going to let that home loss go easily. The Heat were able to steal that road game but they really don't have the talent without Butler to win this series and that game they won might be the only game they win in the series now. The best way to place a bet here is on the Celtics to cover the spread in this game.

Celtics Heat Prediction:  Our NBA Pick for Saturday, April 27, 2024 (6:00 pm ET start time) is Celtics 110 Heat 88.

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Boston Celtics: 13-22 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs opponent as a home favorite. 2-5 ATS after playing 4 consecutive home games. 8-1 UNDER off a home loss by 10 points or more. 7-2 UNDER off a double digit loss as a favorite of 6 points or more. 

Miami Heat: 8-4 ATS in the first round of the playoffs. 10-2 ATS off a huge upset win as an underdog of 10 points or more. 18-6 UNDER off a road win. 8-2 UNDER off an upset win as a road underdog. 16-9 UNDER as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points.

Boston Celtics:  L. Kornet (C) Out indefinitely - Calf.

Miami Heat:  J. Butler (PF) Out indefinitely - Knee. T. Rozier (PG) Out indefinitely - Neck. J. Richardson (SG) out for season - Shoulder.

“They obviously made a conscious effort to have free reign to shoot more.” - Joe Mazzulla after his team’s loss against the Heat in game 2 of this series on Wednesday.

“It was a very good response. And then we also made some shots. It always looks better when you make shots.” - Erik Spoelstra after his team’s win against the Celtics in game 2 of this series on Wednesday.

PG Jrue Holiday

SG Derrick White

SF Jaylen Brown

PF Jayson Tatum

C Kristaps Porzingis

PG Tyler Herro

SG Duncan Robinson

SF Jaime Jaquez Jr.

PF Nikola Jovic

C Bam Adebayo

PPG: J. Tatum (26.9)

APG: D. White (5.2)

Reb/G: J. Tatum (8.1)

PPG: J. Butler (20.8)

APG: T. Rozier (5.6)

Reb/G: B. Adebayo (10.4)

Coaches:

Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla (2nd season)

Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra (16th season)