NBA: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Preview, Odds, Prediction

The Boston Celtics will meet the struggling Miami Heat this Wednesday night. The two units battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and tonight’s result could be very important at the end of the regular campaign. While on one side, the Heat has experienced massive problems in the past two or three weeks, the Celtics have been one of the best teams in the league over the previous two months. This will be a game fun to watch, because of the high stakes and must-win situation for both teams.

Preview

Miami Heat (48-28, +125) finally won a game, following four straight defeats. During that stretch, the chemistry in the locker room was ruined, and the frustration among the players and the fans was visible all the time. After all, the dispute between Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler proved that.

The Heat had three straight losses at home before beating the Kings on Monday night, 123-100. It was refreshing to see them playing at a high level again, though, we need to say that the Kings aren’t some respectable force in the league.

Jimmy Butler had 27 points with seven assists and five boards. He had an impressive shooting night, missing just four of his 14 shots from the field. Bam Adebayo was 10-for-16 from the field, in total 22 points, and he had 15 rebounds. Tyler Herro entered off the bench to score 20 points with six assists and five boards, while Duncan Robinson had 15 off the bench and all from three-point territory.

Boston Celtics (47-29, -160) lost in Toronto, which was their first failure after six straight victories. They appeared without both Robert Williams III, who is injured, and Tatum and Brown, who were resting, but still forced an OT, where they had to lay down their weapons, 115-112.

Marcus Smart took over the offensive duties in their absence, posting a double-double with 28 buckets, 10 boards, and four assists. Grant Williams added 17 points, Derrick White 15 with eight assists and six boards, while Daniel Theis and Aaron Nesmith ended the night with 13 points each.

The Cs grabbed 57 boards but, on the other side, made only 12 threes in 40 attempts. Smart was the worst, hitting two of his 11 tries from a distance.

Head to Head Games

The Heat and the Celtics played two games this year and the boys in green had more success in both of them. The first was in Miami on November 4, and the Cs won 95-78, while the second took place at the TD Garden, where they humiliated the rivals, 122-92. That was a solid blow for Spoelstra’s unit.

Prediction

Williams’ absence is a huge blow for the hosts, but we still believe that they have the power to beat the guests from Florida. The biggest difference here is the chemistry. Boston’s is superb, while on the other hand, Miami’s is pretty problematic. Plus, the Heat are getting out from FTX Arena, and we all know that TD Garden is one of the most hostile places in the NBA. Therefore, our pick here is the hosts to win.

Pick: Celtics win