The Miami Heat are up 2-0 on the Boston Celtics in their Eastern Conference Finals series heading into Game 3 Saturday. Emotions ran hot in Boston’s locker room following its Game 2 loss, 106-101.
The Celtics need to harness that intensity and use it to avoid going down an insurmountable 3-0 series deficit.
BetMGM Sportsbook has NBA odds and NBA props for all NBA games, so we’re bringing you locks throughout the NBA playoffs.
Heat +2.5 (-110) vs. Celtics
The Celtics -2.5 (-110) entered this series as a slight favorite and I don’t think the market accurately weighed the discrepancy in depth between the two rosters.
Gordon Hayward has been sidelined with a sprained ankle he suffered in Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. Hayward being upgraded to “questionable” is welcomed news, but if he cannot give it a go or struggles in his return than Boston isn’t getting enough help.
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Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart are all scoring north of 19 points per the first two games, but the Heat +2.5 (-110) have been just too dynamic. Miami has six players averaging double-digit points per game, they have 16 more assists and are shooting 23 percentage points higher from three-point land than Boston in this series.
The tension with the Celtics players linked above is a sign of their frustration with Miami’s style. The Heat are moving the ball, setting screens for shooters and running dribble handoffs, all in an effort to create open looks for their second-ranked three-point shooting team. Goran Dragić, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder and Duncan Robinson are all shooting 40% or better from three. Two of those guys could have a bad game and Miami still shoots well from three as a team.
Also see: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat Game 3 odds, picks and best bets
There COVID-altered NBA atmosphere makes it hard to come off of gambling reads in my opinion. There is no travel or many outside influences that could affect the prices. It’s only the market’s action that is dictating these prices and I’m on Miami in this series. They are 10-1 in these playoffs and are completely in rhythm.
It’s an absolute must-win for the Celtics so I’ll layoff the money line. But I have to BET HEAT +2.5 (-110) in Game 3. New to sports betting? A $110 wager on the Heat +2.5 (-110) returns a $100 profit if Miami wins or loses by two or one points.
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