Boston Celtics (64-18) vs Miami Heat (47-37)
Game Info: Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 1:00 pm (TD Garden)
Betting Odds: Boston Celtics -14.5 --- Over/Under: 208.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics duke it out in Game 1 at the TD Garden on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a Heat vs Celtics prediction.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are coming into this series a little banged up with Jimmy Butler still out, but they will be brimming with confidence after blowing past the Bulls in a 112-91 home win on Friday. Tyler Herro led the team with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Jaime Jacquez Jr added 21 points with six rebounds and six assists while Kevin Love chipped in with 16 points off the bench. As a team, the Heat shot 46 percent from the field and 14 of 33 from the 3-point line as they stormed out of the gates and dominated the first quarter by 34-17 to take the early lead, before they exploded for 35 points in the third quarter to lead by as many as 29 points at one stage.
Boston Celtics
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics were one of the most consistent teams in the league all season and they are coming into this series with plenty of confidence after beating the Wizards by 132-122 last Sunday for their 16th win in their last 20 games overall. Jayson Tatum has been leading the team with averages of 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, Jaylen Brown averaged 23.0 points and 3.6 assists per game, Kristaps Porzingis averaged 20.1 points and 1.9 blocks per game while Derrick White averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game. As a team, the Celtics averaged 120.6 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from the 3-point line.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Al Horford ranks 1st amongst qualified Centers for 3P% (41.9%) this season.
- Jrue Holiday ranks 2nd in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (42.9%) this season.
Miami Heat Player Facts
- Bam Adebayo ranks 4th amongst qualified Forwards for rebounds per game (10.4) this season.
- Tyler Herro ranks 12th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.1) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for point differential per game this season (+11.3).
- The Celtics rank T1st in the league for blocks per game this season (6.6).
- The Heat rank 30th in the league for blocks per game this season (3.4).
- The Heat rank 29th in the league for H2 points per game this season (53.3).
Heat vs Celtics prediction
The Heat are still shorthanded with Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier all out, while the Celtics are at full strength except for Luke Kornet who is still out. The Heat suffered a major blow when they lost Butler to injury, but they didn't let that slow them down in their dominant win over the Bulls to earn their spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Celtics were one of the best teams all season, they are coming into this series with plenty of momentum, and they should be well-rested as they haven't played since last Sunday. The line is massive for this one, so while I like the Celtics to kick off the series with a win at home, I am backing the Heat to hang around long enough to get the cover.
Peter’s Pick Miami +14.5
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
Mitch's Take...
