Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off on Wednesday, May 17 at 8:30 pm ET at Boston’s TD Garden. Boston is listed as an 8-point favorite in the Heat vs Celtics betting odds. The top online sportsbooks are also getting in on the action by offering prop bets for the series. In addition to the main betting markets, we have the best NBA player prop bets for the Celtics vs. Heat.
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat enter this series trying to get back to the finals for the first time since 2020. The Celtics will look to start out 1-0 as heavy favorites once again Wednesday. But are they the best bet in the Heat vs Celtics picks?
Heat vs Celtics Game 1 Odds and Preview
Here are the betting odds for Game 1 from Caesars Sportsbook.
- Point spread: Boston -8
- Moneylines: Boston -345 | Miami +270
- Total (Over/Under): 211 points
For the second consecutive postseason, the Celtics and Heat meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics edged the Heat in seven games last year to reach the 2022 NBA Finals.
By point differential, the Celtics (+6.5) and Heat (+3.1) have been the second and fourth-best teams in the playoffs. Stylistically, they’re also fairly similar to one another in that they both rely on an All-NBA scoring wing (two in Boston’s case), a switchable big who can pass, and two-way guards that make winning plays.
The Heat have defied expectations and surpassed most predictions by earning a spot among the top four teams in the playoffs. Butler and Bam Adebayo’s team, having clinched a playoff spot via the Play-In Tournament, pulled off a great postseason upset by eliminating the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round.
The Celtics, in a resounding win, beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-88 in Game 7 on Sunday, earning their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jayson Tatum emerged as the standout player in the decisive matchup, delivering a stellar performance by scoring a playoff career-best 51 points.
While the Celtics are heavily favored, they will have to put in a substantial amount of effort to get a win in this series.
Place a wager on Game 1 with a $1,250 bonus from Caesars Sportsbook
Best NBA Player Prop Bets for Celtics vs. Heat
Here are three Heat vs Celtics player props to consider for Game 1.
Max Strus OVER 12 points (-120 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Strus struggled mightily in the first round against the Bucks, scoring 6.4 points per game. However, the 27-year-old shooting guard stepped up in the second round against the Knicks, scoring 14.6 points per game on 47.8% shooting from the field and 35.4% from three.
For the Heat to win this series, they will need second-round Strus to show up and knock down some huge shots, as they are still without Tyler Herro (hand injury).
Make this wager with $100 in bonus bets from BetMGM Sportsbook
Al Horford OVER 1.5 threes (-142 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Horford has struggled mightily from beyond the arc in the postseason and is averaging 1.5 3-pointers per game with a conversion rate of 30.8%. However, he averaged 2.3 3-pointers per game with a conversion rate of 44.6% in the regular season. Expect some positive regression from him here, especially as the Celtics get ready to play a faster-paced series against the Miami Heat.
The Heat have allowed the third-most corner threes per game of all playoff teams at 4.6. Their struggles to stop corner shooters date back to the regular season when they allowed the most corner threes per game at 4.3. Horford leads the Celtics in corner threes attempted per game (1.9). Second, Horford’s production against the Heat speaks to value as well. He averaged 2.5 3-pointers per game against them and converted 46.2% of his attempts.
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Jayson Tatum OVER 9.5 rebounds (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Celtics will be looking for Tatum to score in Game 1, but if he can continue to wreak havoc on the boards, it could be the difference in a win or loss. Everyone marveled at Tatum’s 51 points in Game 1, but most fans glossed over his 13 rebounds. For the series, he averaged 11.1 rebounds and had five games with double-digit boards.
Throughout the postseason, Tatum is recording 10.6 rebounds per game and has gone OVER 9.5 rebounds in nine out of his past 13 contests. The Heat have Adebayo and Kevin Love in the frontcourt, but that shouldn’t stop Tatum, who averaged 10.5 rebounds per game in the regular season against Miami.
Place this bet with $1,200 in bonuses from DraftKings Sportsbook
Article contributed by Mariah Janos.
