Heat vs. Celtics Prediction
Will the Miami Heat cover the point spread as an underdog when they visit the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night?
Who Oddsmakers Like: Boston. According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Celtics are 8-point home favorites to beat the Heat, who opened as an 8-point road underdog. The total, meanwhile, hit the board at 200.5 but is now up slightly to 201.
Who Public Bettors Like: As of this writing, 66% of the betting tickets are on the Celtics and 63% of the money is also on Boston.
Injury Report: Goran Dragic (elbow) is probable for the Heat tonight but Hassan Whiteside (knee) is out, as are James Johnson (ankle), Okaro White (Foot) and Rodney McGruder (leg). Justise Winslow (knee) is doubtful.
The Celtics, meanwhile, will be without Gordon Hayward (leg) and Marcus Morris (knee). Daniel Theis (nose) is questionable.
Who We Like: Miami. This is too many points to lay with a Celtics team that hasn’t been dominant of late. The road team is 5-1 against the spread in the last six meetings between these two teams while the underdog has covered the spread in 14 of the last 19 meetings between these two teams.
Miami is also 11-4 against the spread in its last 15 road games versus a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 and is 5-2 against the number in its last seven games coming off a loss.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are 1-3-1 against the spread in their last five home games, are 1-3-1 against the number in their last five games overall, and is 1-4-1 at the betting window in their last six games playing on one day of rest. Boston is also winless against the spread in its last five games coming off a win.
NBA WEDNESDAY PREDICTION: MIAMI HEAT +8