Celtics vs Heat Odds & Betting: Boston Looks For First NBA Finals Berth Since 2010

The Miami Heat (64-35, 56-42-1 ATS) and Boston Celtics (52-37, 54-43-2) face off in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final at FTX Arena on Saturday. In a back-and-forth series where both teams have exchanged leads, which club will finally prevail and advance to the NBA Finals? Find out in our Celtics vs Heat prediction.

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Heat vs Celtics Odds & Analysis

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The Celtics opened as a slim one-point favorite on the road for Game 7 with the total set at just 199 points. The OVER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between the two teams, while Miami owns a 10-2 record in its last 10 home games. With the two clubs so evenly matched throughout the series, it’s hard to find a clear favorite in our Celtics vs Heat prediction.

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Celtics Miss Out On Golden Opportunity In Game 6

Boston missed out on an opportunity to advance to its first NBA Finals since 2010 as the Celtics lost Game 6 by a score of 111-103. Derrick White drained a three-pointer to put the Celtics up 97-94 with less than five minutes on the clock, but Miami rallied to take back the lead which they never relinquished. Jayson Tatum scored 30 points to lead Boston in scoring while White (22 points) and Jaylen Brown (20 points) each had 20-plus.

The Celtics will likely live and die by their defense in Game 7, as they’ve held the Heat to an average of just 88 points per game in all three of their wins in the series. By comparison, Miami has scored 112.7 points per game in its three victories.

Marcus Smart (ankle) and Robert Williams (knee) are questionable for Game 7 while Sam Hauser (shoulder) is out.

Butler Bounces Back To Help Heat Force Game 7

The Heat stayed alive in a must-win Game 6 thanks to a huge bounce-back effort from Jimmy Butler, who scored a career playoff high 47 points. Miami’s star forward scored 17 of his points in the final frame to help the Heat stave off elimination and force a Sportsbook-take-all showdown back home at FTX Arena. Kyle Lowry also came up big for the Heat with 18 points and 10 assists as he was an integral part of Miami’s fourth-quarter rally.

Butler has had an up-and-down series due to a knee issue that held him to just 20 minutes and eight points in Game 3 and 27 minutes and six points in Game 4. While he’s obviously banged up, Butler has managed two 40-plus point performances in the series, coming in Games 1 and 6.

Tyler Herro (groin), Lower (hamstring), Max Strus (hamstring), Gabe Vincent (hamstring) and PJ Tucker (knee) are all questionable for Saturday’s matchup.

Heat vs Celtics Pick & Insights

Heat: Keys To Cover

Butler looked like a world-beater in Game 6, but it’s hard to predict how his knee will hold up going into Game 7. He isn’t listed on the injury report, so it’s safe to say that Miami’s top scorer will give it his all in the final game of the series. Herro, however, has missed the last three games due to injury – his presence could make all the difference if he’s good to go for Saturday.

Celtics: Keys To Cover

While the Heat have the best player in the series, the Celtics might have the best duo in Tatum and Brown. The two are combining for about 50 points per game in the series and, by all accounts, are heading into Game 7 much healthier than any of Miami’s top players. If Tatum and Brown do their thing while Boston stays strong defensively, the Celtics have a great chance to advance.

NBA Computer Pick: Miami +2.5

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