You’ll be hard-pressed to find a game with more on the line than the Heat at Celtics on Sunday. With the inclusion of a play-in tournament this season, the desire for the sixth seed is more important than ever. The NBA odds should be close for this tilt.
Both the Heat and Celtics have been swapping between six and seven. This game could be the deciding factor in the seeding.
This is actually the first of two straight games for these teams. The first game of the season series came back on January 6. Boston won that game 107-105.
The action tips off on Sunday at 1 PM EST.
THE LATEST ON SPORTS AND COVID-19
Miami Heat
The Heat haven’t quite matched their bubble success from a year ago this season - though they are trending up.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo remain the two focal points of this team on both ends. Miami is a defensive-focused team with a methodical offensive pace. Owners of a top-ten defense and a bottom-ten scoring offense, most Heat games end up low-scoring.
On the season, Butler averages 21.5 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Adebayo similarly fills the stat sheet, with averages of 18.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and over a steal and block per game.
The offense prefers to shoot the three, led by Duncan Robinson’s 40% mark from deep.
The Heat defense’s bread and butter is stopping shots near the rim. No team in the NBA allows fewer points in the paint than Miami.
Their defense does struggle to stop the three - which could be a problem in this game.
Do you know about betting the NBA race to 20 points? If you’re a basketball fanatic, you need it in your life!
Boston Celtics
Boston has had an up-and-down season, often playing to their competition. With a few confounding losses on their resume coupled with big wins, it’s hard to make out what type of team the Celtics are.
What Boston does have going for them is balance. On paper, they have an above-average offense and defense.
Their offense is lifted by their perimeter shooting, a top-ten team shooting the three this season. Their defense is particularly strong in the paint, like Miami, fifth in the NBA in points in the paint per game.
Boston is led by their pair of wings - Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two were involved in a collision this past weekend, but it isn’t believed to be serious for either player.
Tatum leads the way in scoring, with 26.5 points per game on 46/40/87% shooting splits. Tatum also hauls in 7.4 boards per game.
Brown is right behind Tatum, scoring over 24 points per game thanks to his 40% mark from deep. This offense goes as these two young All-Stars do.
The defense is vulnerable to the outside shot, like Miami - though not to the level the Heat do.
Our NBA action doesn’t stop. Take a look at our Spurs at Trail Blazers pick for Saturday’s game.
Game Pick
Miami ranks 29th in the NBA in opponents threes made and 22nd in opponent three point percentage.
Going against a Boston offense that shoots threes at a high clip, signs point towards the Celtics, picking up a must-win game.
This Eastern Conference battle is high-stakes, and should be a great start to the NBA Sunday slate. Pick Boston to cover the spread at home.
See how we did last time, it was our Trail Blazers at Hornets betting preview.