Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 19/05/2023, 08:03  by Joseph King | Modified on 19/05/2023 at 08:03 in NBA Predictions

The second seed Boston Celtics host the eighth seed Miami Heat for game two of the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Miami upset the odds in game one on Wednesday to win 123-116 and take a 1-0 series lead in this best of seven duel. A matchup with either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals awaits the winner of this series.

Despite only being the second game in the series, Boston are looking at a ‘must-win’ spot when they take to the TD Garden on Friday. This is the final game in front of their home crowd before the series heads to South Beach for games three and four in Miami. Historically in the NBA Playoffs, teams that lose the first two games of a series go on to advance only seven percent of the time. This isn’t even factoring in if those two losses came on the team's home court. However, it’s not all doom and gloom for Boston. The Celtics have been terrific overall at home this season and have a record of 36 wins from 49 games in the regular season and playoffs combined.

Miami have made a habit of stealing the first game on the road this postseason. They once again achieved the feat against Boston, meaning they have now won game one in all three rounds. We’ll see if they can keep up the momentum however, as Miami would then go on to lose game two against the Bucks and the Knicks. Jimmy Butler has been playing out of his mind once again when the lights shine the brightest. The 34-year-old has led the eighth-seeded Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals for a third time in the last four seasons. Miami is also the first eighth-seed to make this round of the playoffs since the 1999 Knicks.