bet365 NBA Odds, Betting Preview: Heat Vs. Celtics (May 23) 48534q

The Miami Heat are one win away from advancing to their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons on Tuesday when they host the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series.

Miami cruised to a 128-102 victory on Sunday to push the heavily-favoured Celtics to the brink of elimination and take a 3-0 series lead. The Heat led by 30 points at the end of three quarters, which allowed Jimmy Butler and other key starters the chance to take a seat for the fourth quarter and ease their minutes.

No team in NBA history has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

Miami is a 1.5-point home favourite to close out the series on Monday night and the total is set at 216.5 points.

Celtics vs. Heat odds 1e3tz

Celtics Moneyline Odds +100
Heat Moneyline Odds -120
Over/Under -110)
Spread Heat -1.5 (-110)
Series odds Heat -1000, Celtics +650
Time/Date Monday, May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET
TV Broadcast: TSN
Stream: NBA League
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All odds courtesy of

Previous meetings 1g472

The Heat have won – and covered the spread – in five straight meetings with the Celtics. The teams have also combined to play over the total in five of the past six meetings.

Date Home Team Spread Odds Result Total
May 21, 2023 (Game 3) Miami Celtics -4.5 128-102 Heat 214 (over)
May 19, 2023 (Game 2) Boston Celtics -10 111-105 Heat 214.5 (over)
May 17, 2023 (Game 1) Boston Celtics -8.5 123-116 Heat 211 (over)
Jan. 24, 2023 Miami Heat -2.5 98-95 Heat 215 (under)
Dec. 2, 2022 Boston Celtics -7 120-116 Heat (OT) 226.5 (over)
Nov. 30, 2022 Boston Celtics -9.5 134-121 Celtics 225 (over)
Oct. 21, 2022 Miami Celtics -2 111-104 Celtics 220.5 (under)

About the Celtics (8-8 SU, 8-8 ATS, 11-5 o/u) 24182b

The Celtics entered this series as -550 favourites to advance, but now they’re being thoroughly embarrassed by Miami.

Boston’s two best players – Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – combined to make just 12 of their 35 shots from the floor and a miserable 1-for-14 from beyond the arc. Brown is a horrendous 2-for-20 from long range in the series.

As a team, the Celtics are 31-for-101 (29%) from deep; the Heat are 44-for-92 (48%) from three-point range.

About the Heat (12-4 SU, 12-4 ATS, 11-5 o/u) 75d5g

All of the talk coming into this series was about whether or not the Heat had enough secondary scoring to Butler’s heroics.

Guard Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points to lead all scorers in Game 3 and drained six of his nine three-point attempts. Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin and Max Strus combined to score a whopping 79 points for the Heat, which took all of the pressure of Butler and big man Bam Adebayo.

Another important bench player for the Heat, Kevin Love, left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, but he’s expected to suit up for Game 4. Love won the NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and has 77 career postseason games on his resume.

Caleb Martin over 11.5 points 2k2v5r

-135

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Notable injuries 91s6t

Tyler Herro (hand) and Victor Oladipo (knee) remain out for the Heat. Love (ankle) is probable.

There are no new injury concerns for the Celtics.

  • Heat are 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings.
  • The over is 5-1 in the past six meetings.
  • The Heat are 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.
  • The over is 6-1 in the Celtics’ last seven road games.
  • The over is 11-2 in the Heat’s last 13 home games.
  • Martin has been a potent scorer in this series, averaging 19.3 points per game. His line for points is 11.5 (-135 over).
  • Vincent has at least one steal in seven straight games and eight of his last nine. His line is 0.5 steals (-190 over). This could be a useful leg for a parlay.
  • Kyle Lowry has also been a good source of steals, recording at least one in six straight games and eight of his last nine. His line is 0.5 steals (-165 over).

Wagers to consider 6p5258

  • If you believe the Celtics can extend the series and send it back to Boston for Game 5, bet365 has a three-leg same-game parlay consisting of a Celtics moneyline win, Brown 25 or more points, and Tatum to record a double-double that’s boosted from +425 to +500.
  • Boston moneyline: +105. Getting the Celtics at plus money in a desperate spot is good value.
  • Martin over 1.5 threes (-145). Martin couldn’t be more confident right now and is having an excellent series. He’s drained at least three from long range in each game of the series.