NBA Playoff Push: Heat Host the Celtics

Game has Playoff Implications for Celtics and Heat

The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat will on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena. The Celtics continue their fight for home court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Miami Heat are desperate to hang onto the eighth and final playoff spot. The teams finish a home-and-home set tonight in Florida. The Celtics got past the Heat at home 110-105 on Monday. They remained in fourth place in the East by virtue of a tiebreaker with fifth-place Indiana.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, NBCS Boston, FS Sun (Miami) LINE: Celtics -1; O/U: 213.

Irving had 25 points in the contest as he helped hand Miami just its fifth loss in the last 16 games. The win leaves the Heat a half-game up on ninth-place Orlando in the East. Goran Dragic led Miami with 30 points. Dwyane Wade added 17 in his final regular-season visit to Boston. The Heat play three of their final four games on the road, including a finale at fellow playoff hopeful Brooklyn on April 10.

The Celtics were a 110-105 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Heat. They failed to cover the -7-point spread as favorites, while the total score (215) made winners of OVER bettors.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Boston Celtics are 46-32 on the season. Center Al Horford picked up his first triple-double in a Boston uniform with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Miami on Monday. Horford is averaging 19.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists over his last five games. Forward Gordon Hayward chipped in 11 points off the bench. He has reached double figures in a season-high five straight games.

The Miami Heat are 38-39 on the season. Center Bam Adebayo contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds at Boston. It was his third double-double in the last five games. Each of those contests has been decided by single digits as Miami fights for a spot in the postseason. The heat are ending the year with a string of games with near-playoff intensity. Miami missed a host of 3-pointers down the stretch to finish 10-of-37 from beyond the arc.

Prediction: Celtics 102, Heat 94

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Boston Celtics
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Boston's last 12 games
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games on the road
Boston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Boston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Miami
Boston is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Miami
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Boston's last 25 games when playing on the road against Miami

Miami Heat
Miami is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Miami is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games
Miami is 5-10-1 ATS in its last 16 games at home
Miami is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games at home
Miami is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Miami is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Boston
Miami is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against Boston
Miami is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Miami's last 25 games when playing at home against Boston

Next up:
Boston at Indiana Friday, April 5
Miami at Minnesota Friday, April 5

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