The Miami Heat host the Boston Celtics for Game 2 of the NBA season! It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Heat prediction and pick.
The Celtics finished off the Philadelphia 76ers 126-177 on Opening Night. The Celtics dominated the second half of the game and rode it all the way to a nine-point win. Boston proved that they are still one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference even though it was just one game. They are the most well-rounded team in the league with gritty defense and the ability to score 120+ points on any given night.
The Heat get their early rematch with the Celtics as Boston defeated Miami in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals back in May. Remember, Jimmy Butler was one shot away from potentially sending the Heat to The Finals. Fast forward to this season, they fell to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night to start the year (0-1). Despite the loss, they saw great things while also seeing some concerns. The Heat need this win to get their season going as an (0-2) start is never good.
Here are the Celtics-Heat NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Celtics-Heat Odds
Boston Celtics: -2.5 (-110)
Miami Heat: +2.5 (-110)
Over: 218.5 (-110)
Under: 218.5 (-110)
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The Jays were a huge part of the Celtics' success against the Sixers. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both finished with 35 points while Tatum added 12 rebounds to go along with it. Those two are turning into one of the top duos in the league and they are a problem every single night for defenders. It's rare that both of them will have an off night at the same time, so odds are that one of them will pop off on any given night. Boston will be in good shape if the Jays are feeling themselves in Miami.
Newly added point guard, Malcolm Brogdon, finished with 16 points, four assists, and two steals in the win. That is exactly the type of contribution they need from the former Indiana Pacer. The Celtics traded for him to give them another veteran guard to pair alongside DPOY Marcus Smart.
Robert Williams will be out until the start of the new calendar year. The two players added to this roster to fill in for his presence are Blake Griffin and Noah Vonleh. They combined for only three points but play a total of 28 minutes. Vonleh seems to have the edge over Griffin as he played 20 of those minutes. He didn't fill up the stat sheet, but his defense proved to be crucial in defending one of the best centers in the game, Joel Embiid. The Celtics' defense will help them cover this spread.
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Jimmy scored 24 in the loss to the Bulls while Tyler Herro notched 23 himself. Herro nailed four three-pointers over the course of the game and Max Struss nailed five. Those two are going to be huge for the Heat to be in this game. The Celtics have an elite defense and the Heat must rely on their shooting to keep them in it.
The defense was an issue in the loss to the Bulls which is a shock to see. With Butler in charge, it seems as if you must play defense in order to play. However, they allowed DeMar DeRozen to score 37 Wednesday night and there was nothing the Heat could do to stop him. DeRozen missed only eight shots and they also allowed Nikola Vucevic to grab 17 rebounds.
Someone who needs to step up tonight is Kyle Lowry. He finished with just two points against the Bulls and was also nonexistent in the ECF last season. Lowry is supposed to be a huge part of this team and so far he's been a real disappointment.
Final Celtics-Heat Prediction & Pick
This should be an easy pick. The Celtics are playing very well and we have no idea what this Heat team will look like. Take Boston to cover this spread on the road.
Final Celtics-Heat Prediction & Pick: Celtics -2.5 (-110)
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