Celtics vs. Heat Prediction & Odds
The second-seeded Boston Celtics travel to Miami to take on the #8-seed Heat on TNT Sunday night at 8:30 PM ET in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Can the Heat cover the 3.5-point spread as home underdogs?
Miami leads the series 2-0.
The Boston Celtics went 57-25 in the regular season. They are 8-7 in the playoffs this season. The Celtics are 54-43 ATS on the year.
The Miami Heat went 44-38 in the regular season. They’re 11-4 in the play-in and playoffs this season. The Heat are 41-53-3 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
541 Boston Celtics (-3.5) at 542 Miami Heat (+3.5); O/U 213.5
8:30 PM ET, Sunday, May 21, 2023
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Celtics vs. Heat Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 62% of public bettors are currently backing the Celtics -3.5 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Boston Celtics DFS Spin
Boston shooting guard Jaylen Brown is a nice bounce-back candidate in DFS for Sunday’s game. Brown has only made 2 of 13 three-point attempts in this series after shooting a blistering 43.2% from deep in the Celtics’ second-round series against Philly. For the playoffs, Brown is averaging 23.9 points per game on 51.6% shooting from the field. He should perform well in a must-win game on Sunday night.
Boston center Robert Williams III has been making an impact of late. The 6’9” Texas A&M alum is averaging 7.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while only playing 22.3 minutes per contest. Williams is shooting 83.1% from the field in these playoffs, and his shot-blocking and scoring efficiency make him an attractive DFS option on Sunday.
Miami Heat DFS Spin
Miami guards Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo will both be out for Sunday’s game as Herro is nursing a broken hand and Oladipo suffered a season-ending knee injury. In their stead, Heat guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have stepped up. Vincent is averaging 11.6 points, 4.2 assists, 1 steal, and 2.2 made three-pointers per game in the playoffs thus far. He could be worth a look in DFS.
Max Strus has started 13 postseason games this year and his shooting is a big reason why. Strus is shooting 38.7% from deep in these playoffs on 5.8 three-point attempts per game. For the postseason he’s averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 made three-pointers per game. Strus seems like a lock to make multiple treys on Sunday, which would make him worth consideration in most DFS formats.
Celtics vs. Heat NBA Betting Trends
Boston is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 1 day of rest.
Boston is 38-17-1 ATS in their last 56 road games against a team with a home winning percentage over .600.
Miami is 19-27-2 ATS as the home team this season.
Miami is 20-31-3 ATS after an outright win this season.
Celtics vs. Heat NBA Prediction
Boston has to have this game. They cannot afford to go down 3-0 in this series, as that would likely spell doom for their playoff hopes. A few numbers offer Boston some hope. The Celtics have been great after failing to cover the spread of late as they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss. The Celtics have also played well on Sundays as they are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Sunday games. And finally, Boston has had some luck against the number in the last few weeks as they are 12-5 ATS overall in their last 17 contests. In a game that the Celtics must win, I believe they keep their playoff hopes alive and cover the number in Miami on Sunday night.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: BOSTON CELTICS -3.5
