The NBA Playoffs continue as the Miami Heat (44-38) visit the Boston Celtics (57-25) for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Action tips off Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Boston staved off elimination thanks to their 116-99 win in Game 4. However, Miami still leads the series 3-1 and needs just one win to advance to the NBA Finals. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Heat-Celtics Game 5 prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Heat-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Playoffs Odds: Heat-Celtics Odds
Miami Heat: +8 (-110)
Boston Celtics: -8 (-110)
Over: 215.5 (-110)
Under: 215.5 (-110)
How To Watch Heat vs. Celtics
TV: TNT
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/ 5:30 p.m. PT
*See how to watch Heat-Celtics LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Despite being blown out in Game 4, the Heat still hold a 3-1 series lead and need just a single win to advance to the NBA Finals. After a red-hot stretch from beyond the arc in the first three gamers, Miami finally cooled off in Game 4 – shooting just 8/32 from beyond the arc. With Boston shooting a blistering 40% from three, the Heat didn't stand much of a chance considering they were outscored 66-43 in the second half. Still, Miami outrebounded Boston 44-39 and dominated the paint to the tune of a 46-40 scoring advantage. Consequently, the Heat just need to hope for some regression from Boston and a slight uptick in their own three-point production in order to cover as heavy underdogs in Game 5.
Despite the loss in Game 4, Jimmy Butler continued to prove he belongs among the top-tier player in the NBA. Butler scored 29 points in the loss despite shooting just 9/21 from the floor. That marks the second consecutive game Butler shot less than 43% from the floor. While that may be concerning, one only needs to look at his first two games in Boston to find hope in a bounce back in Game 5. Butler dropped 35 and 27 in the first two games – shooting 48% in both games. Considering Butler has averaged a hair shy of 30 PPG for the series, expect him to come out firing in an attempt to put the Celtics away for good in Game 5.
The X-factor for the Heat in Game 5 is their outside shooting. Miami shot a series-worst 25% from beyond the arc in their Game 4 loss. That said, they were blistering-hot from three in the first game in Boston when they drained 16/31 triples. The Heat feature a plethora of capable shooters but will need at least a few of Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Duncan Robinson to have a bounce-back game if they want to cover Game 5.
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
In their Game 4 win, Boston finally looked like the regular-season stalwart they proved to be earlier in the season. The Celtics shot a blistering 40% from beyond the arc thanks to nailing 18/45 threes. They did a great job limiting their own mistakes as well – winning the turnover battle 10-16. Perhaps most impressive was their resiliency. After going down by six in the first half, Boston easily could have rolled over considering the series score. Instead, Boston outscored Miami by 23 points in the second half to survive at least one more game. While the odds are against them to come back from the series as a whole, they do stand a strong chance of covering despite being heavy favorites in Game 5.
Jayson Tatum continued his strong play this postseason in Game 4. Tatum scored 33 points and pulled down 11 rebounds while shooting an efficient 14/22 from the field. Tatum finally showed up in the fourth quarter – scoring his first points of the final period in the series. Still just 25 years old, Tatum may have turned a corner in Game 4 after wishy-washy performances in the first three games. Still, this team rides and dies with Tatum. If he can come up with a signature performance in Game 5 the Celtics could not only cover… they could perhaps bring a glimmer of hope in becoming the first team in NBA history to come back from an 0-3 deficit.
The biggest X-factor for the Celtics in Game 5 is Jaylen Brown. The ying to Tatum's yang, Brown hasn't looked like his usual, dominant self in this series. After a 17-point performance that saw him shoot just 7/16 from the field, Brown owns a 16.8 PPG average for the series. After averaging 26.7 PPG in Round 1 and 22.9 PPG in round 2, Brown's production has fallen off the map this round. Still, Brown is unquestionably the third-best player in this series. The Celtics need him to look more like the 27 PPG scorer he was during the regular season if they want to cover in Game 5.
Final Heat-Celtics Prediction & Pick
After a dominant performance in Game 4, look for the Celtics to keep the momentum rolling in Game 5.
Final Heat-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Boston Celtics -8 (-110)
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