Will a return home be enough to get the Boston Celtics back into their series with the Miami Heat? Boston may be down 2-0 in the series, but they've won 10 straight at home versus Miami.
The Heat won Game 2 in Miami on Tuesday 102-91 as a 5-point favorite. LeBron James led Miami with 35 points and seven rebounds while Rajon Rondo had 20 points and 12 assists for the Celtics.
View Miami vs Boston Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
Sportsbooks had the Celtics installed as 3-point favorites in this particular matchup. The over-under number was listed by most sportsbooks at 183.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
This game pits the Celtics, currently No. 12 in the Odds Shark NBA Power Rankings, against the Heat, who rate No. 3 in the most recent survey. Meanwhile, math and computer handicapping models run on this game predict a 104-101 victory for the Heat.
How They Match Up:
In rebounding, the battle of the boards features Boston's No. 29-rated squad against Miami's No. 9-rated roster. When it comes to long-range shooting, Boston rates No. 26 in the league with 5 per game, while their foes tonight rank No. 11 with 6.7 per outing.
Defensively, the Heat feature the league's No. 3-rated defense on the road, allowing 95.2 points per game. Boston, meanwhile, comes in at No. 20 in the league in scoring at home.
The Celtics were a 102-91 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Heat. They failed to cover the 5–point spread as underdogs, while the total score (193) made winners of OVER bettors. The Celtics got a 20-point performance from Rajon Rondo, who added 12 assists, but Miami still ran past Boston 102-91 on Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Miami Heat Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Boston are 6-4
After playing Boston are 6-4
After a win are 8-2
Boston Celtics Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Miami are 5-5
After playing Miami are 5-5
After a loss are 7-3
A few Heat at Celtics trends to consider:
Miami is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Miami is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
Next up:
Miami at Boston, Monday, May 9
Boston home to Miami, Monday, May 9
