If the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics was any indication of how the rest of the series will play out, you can bet the house on every game being a thriller. Game 1 went to overtime, and a clutch block by Bam Adebayo with three seconds left sealed the 117-114 victory for the Heat.
Through the first three quarters, Boston looked like the better team, leading 83-71 at the end of the third quarter. Unfortunately, that lead evaporated in the fourth quarter when Miami rallied back and took the Celtics to overtime. In the overtime session, the Miami defense tightened up, and with seconds left in the game, closed out the win and completed the upset.
With Boston looking to bounce back in Game 2, bettors around the world are asking themselves the same question: Is Miami the best bet in the NBA right now? Before you place your bets, let’s look at what both teams are bringing to Thursday night’s game (7:00 EDT).
Hot Hot Heat
Throughout the entire playoffs, the Heat have proven to be the most consistent team in the NBA. After sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round and defeating the number-one-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in only five games in the quarterfinals, the resilience and stamina shown late in Game 1 against Boston make Miami a betting darling. Astute bettors are learning to rely on the Heat to play every single game with heart, grit, and to the best of their abilities.
The Heat come in as two-and-a-half-point underdogs again in Game 2, which is slightly perplexing considering their fourth-quarter rally on Tuesday night. Nevertheless, these kinds of things are what motivates the Heat to play better. They like coming in as the underdog and proving people wrong.
Boston Bounce Back
The Celtics looked like they had Game 1 in the palm of their hand through three quarters, but inefficient and ineffective shooting down the stretch caused them to lose in overtime. Now they get a chance to bounce back against the Heat and tie the series at 1-1, but they’ll need to finish strong to do so.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Boston’s game on Tuesday night was the production of Kemba Walker. While Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart are the linchpins of the Celtics offense, Walker needs to continue to elevate his level to put Boston over the top, especially off a lackluster series against Toronto. Walker’s 1-for-9 three-point shooting effort in Game 1 is concerning, but six assists and three defensive rebounds are numbers to build on as the series continues.
Despite some roster flaws, the Heat are playing incredible basketball. The Celtics will need excellence each night to get by a red-hot Miami squad.
Expert Betting Pick: Miami Heat +2.5
Game 1 was only a warm-up for the Heat, one of the most underrated teams to reach the Conference Finals in recent memory. Even with Miami’s offensive hiccups, their rally to steal Game 1 from the Celtics and 9-1 playoff record should inspire bettor confidence. Look for the Heat to get a fast start and hold off the Celtics late in the game, increasing their series lead to 2-0.
Take Miami Heat +2.5.
