Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat betting tips and predictions for Thursday’s NBA Playoffs game on TNT. Boston is on the brink of making history as they aim to become the first team to ever overturn a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-7 series as they host Miami in Game 7 on Monday. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Boston Celtics
This series has been full of twist and turns so it was only natural to expect the same to happen in Game 6 on Saturday, and what a game we got. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both delivered for the Celtics, but it was actually Derrick White who saved them as he scored the putback layup as time expired to put them ahead 104-103.
With the win Boston became only the 4th team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0, so a lot will be at stake on Monday. The oddsmakers have the Celtics favored by 8 points once again, as good as they have been these past 3 games that does sound like a lot for a winner takes all match-up. Only 1 of the 3 match-ups at TD Garden in this series were decided by more than 7 points, so a close game is to be expected I think.
Miami Heat
For the Heat they are trying to avoid becoming the first team to blow a 3-0 lead in a series, not a lot of people saw this coming after they dominated the opening 3 games. Miami’s trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Gabe Vincent combined to go just 15-for-55 from the field, as a team the Heat went just 35% from the field.
The good news is they have another chance, but you’d have to think their confidence is shaken after the way this series has shifted. ESPN’s Analytics gives Miami just 17.9% of a chance to win Game 7, they were in this same exact situation in last season’s playoffs against the Celtics and were just 1 made three away from clinching an NBA Finals berth. Will history repeat itself or can Miami pull it out this time?
I’m not so sure about Miami winning here, but they can definitely cover the spread. This team has shown resilience on so many occasions this season, it’s hard to imagine they’ll lose this game by more than 8 points. I’ll be taking the road team to cover.
Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Predictions & Odds
There’s been a significant drop-off in scoring over the last 2 games with both of them finishing under the total. This has forced the oddsmakers to re-adjust their projected total and for Game 7 that number is at just 203 points, the lowest it’s been at this entire series. We are all expecting a close game and a dog fight, similar to what we saw in the 2nd half of Game 6 when neither team could score a basket for long stretches.
In their long history the Celtics have been a part of a Game 7 a total of 32 times and they’re averaging just 103.4 points per game in those games. Miami has had this scenario happen to them 11 times and they’re scoring only 92.2 points per game in those games. We just had a Game 7 in Boston’s previous series against Philadelphia and only 200 points were scored, so I’m leaning towards the under here. Expect a lot of defense and not a ton of scoring, so go with the under.
