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The Miami Heat are tied with the Boston Celtics after four games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Both teams have proven that they have what it takes to move on to the 2022 NBA Finals. But, in the same breath, both teams have shown their weaknesses and have come up extremely short at times.
The Celtics mostly recently embarrassed the Heat in Boston, beating them by 20 points for the Game 4 win. Just a game prior, the Heat took the Celtics down in their own arena.
The back-and-forth nature of this series makes it unpredictable. At this point, this is the best matchup of the postseason, as it's either team's series to win.
Now, the Heat have an opportunity to take back the series lead at home. Will they go up 3-2 in Miami, or will the Celtics gain their first lead of the series? Here are our three boldest Heat predictions for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Heat 3 Bold Predictions for Game 5 vs. Celtics
3. Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry step it up
As mentioned earlier, the Heat got destroyed in Game 4 on Monday night. In the humiliating loss, the Heat's starting five only put up 18 points. This is unacceptable for any starting five in the NBA, let alone a team vying for its spot in the Finals.
In total, team leaders Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry put up nine points Monday night. At this point in the postseason tournament, everyone is dealing with injuries and ailments, Butler and Lowry included. Injuries or not, Game 4 was a horrible look for the Miami duo. However, don't expect the same results come Wednesday night.
In fact, expect the opposite from Game 5. The veterans are very experienced in the playoffs, and they seemed poised and confident following their brutal performances in Game 4. In total, Butler and Lowry will have at least 45 points Wednesday night, five times their combined points from Game 4.
2. Tyler Herro makes a heroic comeback
Going into Game 4, the Heat knew that they were shorthanded. Tyler Herro was sidelined due to a groin injury, leaving a huge hole in Miami's offense. The sixth man's absence definitely played a big factor in their lack of offensive productivity.
Expect Herro to make a heroic return for Game 5 in Miami. He is considered a game-time decision, much like his original designation for Game 4. However, with a few extra days of rest and recovery, Herro should be available come game time.
Herro will seamlessly work his way back into his role with Miami, putting up at least four 3-pointers in Game 5.
1. A hard-fought, star-powered win
As the series progresses, the stakes are getting higher and higher. Because of this, expect Miami's star power and overall playoff experience to take over in Game 5. They will crank up the heat and come up with the win, putting them ahead of the Celtics 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Finally, our boldest prediction yet: Heat wins it with a final score of 106-102.
