Celtics vs. Heat Game 5 Prediction
With the series now tied at two games apiece, which side will take a lead with a win in Game 5 between the Celtics and Heat in Game 5 on Wednesday night? Boston is currently a 1.5-point road favorite in Miami tonight, while the total sits at 203.5.
Game Snapshot
501 Boston Celtics (-1.5) at 536 Miami Heat (+1.5); o/u 203.5
8:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Venue: FTX Arena, Miami, FL
TV: ESPN
Boston Celtics DFS Notes
Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) and Robert Williams (left knee soreness) are both being listed as questionable to play in Game 5 against the Heat on Wednesday. Smart did not play in Game 4 on Monday, but the Celtics won in blowout fashion thanks to Jayson Tatum bouncing back and the Heat starters combining for just 18 points on the evening. Williams did play last night, but he looked a bit gimpy in the third quarter and checked out for good with 7:26 left in that quarter and only ended up playing 19 minutes (which is all they needed him for). Derrick White filled in nicely for Smart on Monday and would be worth a look in DFS yet again if Smart can’t play, while Al Horford and Grant Williams would be the main beneficiaries as they’d soak up the majority of Time Lord’s minutes.
Miami Heat DFS Notes
Heat wing Jimmy Butler said that the right knee injury that forced him to miss the second half of Game 3 had nothing to do with his poor performance in Game 4. “I’m straight. No excuse for how I played tonight … nothing to do with my knee,” Butler said. “I’ve just got to be better. I will be better. I’m not too worried about it.” Butler was miserable in Game 4 on Monday with just six points on 3-of-14 shooting in 27 minutes, but it wasn’t just him who struggled as the entire Miami starting unit scored 18 points on the evening as a whole. There’s no guarantee that Butler would even admit if his knee was bothering him because he’s one of the tougher guys in the league, or at least he appears to be — keep in mind he hasn’t played more than 58 games in any season since his 2016-2017 campaign with the Bulls. We foresee Butler playing through the injury whether it’s bothering him or not, but if anything changes, we’ll keep you in the loop. He’s also not listed on the injury report for Wednesday’s Game 5 whatsoever, which is great news for the Heat.
Celtics vs. Heat Game 5 NBA Playoffs Betting Prediction
Every game in this series has been relatively high-scoring and I see Game 5 playing out the same way. The over is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings in Miami and is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings overall. The over is also 8-2-1 in the Celtics’ last 11 games when they’re listed as a road favorite and is 12-4-1 in their last 17 games coming off a win of more than 10 points. On the other side, the over has hit in nine of the Heat’s last 11 games versus a team with a winning record and is now 21-8 in their last 29 Conference Finals games.
NBA PLAYOFFS BETTING PREDICTION: CELTICS/HEAT OVER 203.5