Heat vs. Celtics Game 5 Prediction: NBA Playoff Odds, Point Spread
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Charlie Grant
The Miami Heat are one win away from being the lowest seed to make the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks pulled off the feat in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. Despite failing to win three of the four games in the series, Boston remains the point spread favourite according to the NBA odds board.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Celtics have been favourites in all four games so far in the series and enter Game 5 as 3.5-point chalk. Despite trailing 3-1 in the series, Boston is dead even with Miami in total points scored after four games 441-441.
Obviously, not a lot separating the two sides.
Add Glenn Frey to your Spotify playlists because the Heat is definitely on. Miami’s win on Wednesday improved its record in this year’s playoffs to a ridiculous 11-2 straight up and against the spread. The club is comfortable as an underdog as well. The Heat are 6-2 SU and ATS when getting points in this postseason.
Total bettors have seen the Under cash for most of the playoffs. The Under is 26-13 in the last 30 days of NBA action. Of course, that’s not what we’ve seen in the Eastern Conference finals. The Over is 3-1 in the first four games and the one contest that failed to go Over was just a point shy of a push.
NBA teams with a 3-1 lead in playoffs series advance 95 percent (244 of 257 instances) of the time. Of course, there have been two comebacks from 3-1 deficits in these playoffs. Still oddsmakers like the Heat’s chances of moving on to the next round.
The Heat are -455 favourites to win the series while the Celtics are +320 longshots. For those of you unfamiliar with moneyline odds, -455 means you’d have to wager $455 to win $100 on the Heat to win while a $100 bet on the Celtics would win $320 if they were to pull off the comeback.
Miami Heat
Tyler Herro was the star performer in Game 4. He scored 37 points – the second most ever recorded by a 20-year-old in the NBA playoffs. Magic Johnson still holds the record with 42, but that’s some nice company to be in for Herro.
The rookie guard is averaging 16.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in the playoffs while knocking down 37.8 percent of his attempts from deep.
Boston Celtics
Which Jayson Tatum will bettors see in Game 5 – the one that went scoreless in the first half of Game 4 or the one that exploded for 28 points in the second half? Tatum has the ability to go nuclear at any time, but Boston needs consistent output from its No. 1 offensive option.
MIA
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