Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat Prediction, NBA Odds
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Andrew Rogers
Getting back to the .500 mark won’t be easy for the Boston Celtics – especially given how hot their Thursday night opponent has been. The Celtics visit a Miami Heat crew that has reeled off five consecutive victories in dominant fashion and comes into this Eastern Conference matchup with a staggering plus-16.7 point differential on the season. Boston opened with losses in five of its first seven games but is coming off an impressive 92-79 win over Orlando.
Celtics vs. Heat NBA Betting Odds
Any way you slice it, the Heat have been the top team in the NBA so far. They share the league’s best record with Utah and Golden State, and their 6-1 ATS mark is also tops in the Association. And their success at home extends back to the end of last season, as they come into Thursday riding a five-game SU and ATS win streak at FTX Arena. Boston is headed in the opposite direction, losing five straight and going 0-6 ATS in their last six as a road underdog.
Those trends add up to a 73-percent majority of Sports Interaction bettors siding with the hosts, while 63 percent are taking the O214.5 at -110. These teams are coming off a pair of explosive meetings in early May of last season, with both contests exceeding 250 points. And while the 2021-22 NBA season has seen scoring dampened significantly, Miami and Boston rank first and fifth, respectively, in points per game in the Eastern Conference.
Boston Celtics
It might seem early in the season for a players-only meeting, but whatever the Celtics said in theirs worked wonders as they used a dominant third-quarter performance and airtight defence to end a three-game losing streak. The task on the defensive end becomes considerably more difficult as they face a Heat team that is not only the highest-scoring club in the conference, but has shot a blistering 58 percent over the previous two encounters with Boston.
Miami Heat
Just when you think you’ve seen the best Jimmy Butler has to offer, he takes his game to another level. Butler is garnering plenty of early-season MVP buzz – not only because his Heat are the team to beat in the East, but because he has been a significant part of that hot start with averages of 25.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists. His 30.82 Player Efficiency rating ranks behind only Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant.