| Thursday, May 19<\/th>\n | NBA Betting Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n |
|---|---|
| Point Spread:<\/td>\n | Miami Heat -3.5 vs Boston Celtics<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Total:<\/td>\n | 207 Points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Game Time:<\/td>\n | 8:30pm ET \/ 5:30pm PT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Arena:<\/td>\n | FTX Arena in Miami, FL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| TV:<\/td>\n | ESPN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nHeat vs Celtics Analysis<\/h2>\nThe Boston Celtics have taken their talents to South Beach for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. In Game 1, the Heat came out like gangbusters after halftime and secured a 118-107 victory.<\/p>\n The Celtics took two of three head-to-head meetings during the regular season. Boston will be looking to overcome adversity and steal homecourt advantage before heading back to the TD Garden for games three and four.<\/p>\n Heat Smoke Celtics in Third Quarter<\/h3>\nThe Miami Heat went into the locker room down eight points after losing both the first and second quarter to the Boston Celtics. They came out of the locker room with more energy and defensive intensity which resulted in a 39-14 drubbing in the third quarter.<\/p>\n They never looked back and ultimately won the game by 11 points despite losing the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler came to play as he dropped 41 points on 12 of 19 from the field and a staggering 17 of 18 from the charity stripe.<\/p>\n Tyler Herro added 19 points from the bench on 7 of 15 from the field. As a team Miami shot 49% from the field in the victory. The Heat lead the league in three-point shooting, knocking down 38% of their long distance shots and prevailed on Tuesday night despite going only 10 for 30 from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n The Celtics get all sorts of attention for their defense but the Heat are right there with them, ranking 4th in points allowed in the league. They did a great job defensively in the second half as they held Boston to only 45 points.<\/p>\n Celtics Had Deck Stacked Against Them<\/h3>\nThe Boston Celtics were forced to play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday just two days after wrapping up a grueling seven game series against the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.<\/p>\n The Miami Heat had been off since Thursday and Marcus Smart was questionable with a foot injury that occurred in Game 7 against Milwaukee.<\/p>\n Then the next shoe dropped and it was revealed that the Celtics would be without veteran leader and starting big man Al Horford as he was entered into the leagues health and safety protocol list.<\/p>\n Marcus Smart was also unable to suit up due to the foot injury. Still the Celts came out hot, dominated the first half and went into the locker room with an eight point lead. They then hit a brick wall and lost the third quarter by 25 points.<\/p>\n They could never get back into the game and ultimately lost by 11. It could have been due to fatigue, missing Smart & Horford or most likely a combination of both. They allowed Jimmy Butler to completely have his way with them as he scored 41 points.<\/p>\n However, the Celtics have had the top defense in the league all season long, so adjustments will be made. Marcus Smart is now listed as probable and it seems like he will be good to go.<\/p>\n Al Horford could be a different story as he is listed as doubtful but there is still a slim chance he could clear protocols. The young big man Robert Williams III was also seen clutching his knee in the 2nd half but brushed in off as cramps in the post-game interview.<\/p>\n Despite all of these obstacles and hurdles, the Celtics can still take homecourt advantage with them to Boston if they prevail in Game 2.<\/p>\n Heat vs Celtics Prediction<\/h2>\nThe Miami Heat are 3.5 point favorites in Game 2 with a total set at 207.5. The uncertainty of Marcus Smart and Al Horford obviously loom large over the outcome of this game. However, the Celtics have bounced back better than any team in the league as they have won 10 of their last 11 games following a loss.<\/p>\n I fully expect Smart to play and for Head Coach Ime Udoka to make the necessary adjustments to slow down Jimmy Butler. I also don’t see Butler getting to the free throw line 18 times again.<\/p>\n Zig zagging games has been the theme of these late round games as we have consistently seen teams bounce back from ugly losses. I still consider the Celtics to be the superior team and if anyone thinks they are done you obviously didn’t watch the Milwaukee series.<\/p>\n I’m confident enough to leave the 3.5 points on the table in favor of the value in the +145 money line. In the Game 1 article I predicted Heat cover due to Boston fatigue.<\/p>\n This was prior to the Smart and Horford news. I also said if the Celtics did lose I would back them on a plus money series play. Well, the time is now.<\/p>\n Prediction: Boston Celtics ML +145 & Celtics to win series +125<\/strong><\/p>\n \n |
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