There will be a new NBA champion after the Boston Celtics knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks in an epic 7-game series to set up a battle with the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference title. Getting this far seemed like a longshot for the Celtics in late January when they were a game below .500, but they turned things around over the second half of the season to win 51 games and clinch the No. 2 seed. They then swept preseason O’Brien Trophy favorite Brooklyn in the first round. They didn’t get the notoriety of other clubs in the East, but the Heat claimed the best record in the conference and homecourt advantage finishing two games clear of Boston. And for the second time in three seasons the teams are fighting for a slot in the NBA Finals. Miami beat Boston in six games in 2020 eventually losing to the Lakers in the Finals.
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Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat Series Schedule
Game 1: Celtics at Heat, Tuesday, May 17, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2: Celtics at Heat, Thursday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 3: Heat at Celtics, Saturday, May 21, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4: Heat at Celtics, Monday, May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: Celtics at Heat, Wednesday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (If Necessary)
Game 6: Heat at Celtics, Friday, May 27, 8:30 p.m. ET (If Necessary)
Game 7: Celtics at Heat, Sunday, May 29, 8:30 p.m. ET (If Necessary)
Series Price at BookMaker.eu: Celtics -165 / Heat +135
Despite having a better record over the course of the regular season the Heat find themselves as the underdog listed at +135 in the series market. I guess being consistently good over 82 games is viewed less favorably than closing the regular season with the best record in the league over the final few months.
The season flipped for Boston in late January when everything came together. Now this isn’t a team that had some success over the past few years and just reaching the postseason was a goal. The Celtics have been a playoff team in eight consecutive seasons and reached the conference final three times in the previous seven. Getting over the hump and reaching the Finals for the first time since 2010 was the priority.
There were high expectations so when the Cs were 23-24 at one point there were rumblings. Boston closed the regular season winning 28 of their final 35 games and along with the best record in the NBA over that span they had the top offense and No. 1 ranked defense. They also showed they have what it takes to overcome adversity winning Milwaukee series in seven games by taking the final two, including a 13-point outright win on the road in Game 6. Overall the Celtics are 8-3 SU and 7-3-1 ATS in the postseason.
If you knock down three-pointers and play some defense you can be successful in today’s NBA. That’s exactly what the Heat did during the regular season and nothing changed once the playoffs started. They don’t have a top draw or former MVPs on their roster, but the Heat are arguably the most complete team in the league winning an East-high 53 games.
The defense was ranked among the top-5 during the season in fewest points allowed, field goal and three-point percentage. The Heat were able to offset an offense that scored 110 points per game by getting stops and making timely triples. They led the NBA shooting 38 percent from behind the arc. After dropping the first two games of the season series, including a 17-point laugher at home back in November, the Heat got a big 106-98 win in Boston at the end of March to help them secure the top-seed in the conference. It was part of a six-game winning streak near the end of the campaign that allowed them to hold off Boston among others.
Player to Watch
The best players have been the best players for both sides this postseason. Boston’s Jayson Tatum is averaging 28.3 points while Miami’s Jimmy Butler averages 28.7. You can expect those two to cancel each other out bringing others into the mix. And both teams have strong supporting casts, which is why they are where they are.
One guy who can make a difference for the Celtics is Marcus Smart, the league’s defensive playoff of the year. Not only does Smart play shutdown D he’s also a contributor on the offensive side averaging 15 pointsBoston had a hard time containing Giannis Antetokounmpo in the previous round, but they kept the Bucks from making a bunch of threes allowing them to get the series win.
Celtics vs. Heat Free Picks
Don’t expect a lot of scoring in the series with both teams playing superior defense to this point. Boston has revenge on its mind after losing the 2020 conference final in six games and while they don’t have the homecourt edge, the Cs are 4-1 SU and 4-0-1 ATS on the road this postseason, and they’ll get at least one road victory in this series.
Celtics vs. Heat Series Pick: Celtics in 7 Games
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