Boston Celtics at Miami Heat Odds & Free Pick

Boston Celtics at Miami Heat Odds & Free Pick

Darin Zank
Date: May 17, 8:30 pm
Location: FTX Arena
TV: ESPN

Betting Odds

Point Spread: BOS +2/MIA -2
Total: 204

<p>The top two seeds in the Eastern Conference meet in the conference finals as the Heat and Celtics play Game 1 Tuesday night in Miami. The Heat may own home-court advantage for this best-of-seven affair, but Boston is lined as a -175 favorite to win it, with Miami getting +155 as the underdog.</p>
<p>Here’s how we homeworked this Game 1 with our <b>free NBA playoffs betting pick</b>.</p>
<h2>NBA Betting Odds</h2>
<p>The NBA playoffs betting lines opened Miami as a two-point favorite for this Game 1, with an over/under of right around 206. Early betting action then dipped the Heat to -1.5 and lowered that total to 204.</p>
<h2>Celtics-Heat Game 1 Betting Preview</h2>
<p>Boston reached this Eastern Conference finals series by outlasting Milwaukee in seven games in a conference semi-finals series, closing out the Bucks with a 109-81 Game 7 romp Sunday. The Celtics trailed Milwaukee by 10 points early Sunday but took the lead for good at 45-43 and ran away from there.</p>
<p>Boston lost the first game of that series to the Bucks and later trailed three games to two, then won Game 6 in Milwaukee and Game 7 at home. Also, three of the Celtics’ wins came by at least 13 points, while two of their losses came by two and three points. So Boston really basically outplayed the Bucks in that series.</p>
<p>The Celtics opened these playoffs by sweeping Brooklyn out of the first round in four games. So Boston is 8-3 SU, 7-3-1 ATS this postseason.</p>
<p>Miami, meanwhile, reached this conference finals by beating Philadelphia in six games in the other Eastern semi-finals series, closing out the 76ers with a 99-90 Game 6 win last Thursday. The Heat won the first two games of that series at home, lost the next two games at Philly, then won Game 5 at home and Game 6 on the road.</p>
<p>Miami opened these playoffs by beating Atlanta in five games in the first round. The Heat won the first two games of that series at home, lost Game 3 on the road, then closed it out from there. So Miami is 8-3 SU, 7-4 ATS this postseason.</p>
<p>The Heat finished two games ahead of the Celtics in the regular-season standings, but Boston took the season series from Miami two games to one. The Celtics won the first two meetings by scores of 95-78 and 122-92 before the Heat won the third meeting, 106-98.</p>
<p>On the injury front, Miami G Kyle Lowry (13 PPG, 7.5 APG this season) is out with a bad hammy, and the Heat list four other guys as questionable for Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Boston G Marcus Smart, this year’s League Defensive Player of the Year, is listed as questionable with a sore foot.</p>
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<span style="font-size:14px; color:#008000;">Get more details:</span> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/nba/matchup/1656166">Boston at Miami Game 1 Betting Stats</a>
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<h2>NBA Betting Trends </h2>
<ul>
<li>Miami is 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS at home this postseason.</li>
<li>Boston is 4-1 SU, 4-0-1 ATS on the road this postseason.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Totals Report </h2>
<ul>
<li>The Under is 7-4 in Celtics games this postseason, which are averaging 210 total points.</li>
<li>The Under is 9-2 in Heat games this postseason, which are averaging 205 points.</li>
<li>The Under is 2-1 in Celtics-Heat games this season, which averaged 197 total points.</li>
</ul>

Celtics at Heat Game 1 Prediction ATS

Boston outplayed Miami during their regular-season series, winning two of three meetings by blowouts. Also, the Celtics just played Sunday while Miami last played last Thursday, and it often seems playing more recently keeps teams sharper. Plus, the Heat might play a little shorthanded Tuesday night. We’re betting Boston to take Game 1. 

Free Pick: Take Boston +2
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