We weren’t sure if this series was going to go to a fifth match, but it has. The Eastern Conference finals heads back to Massachusetts for the match five of the series, and on Thursday night it’s the Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat at TD Garden. Here we look ahead to the match with our latest NBA betting picks.
The Celtics managed to pull another result out of the hat at just the right time. But was Tuesday night’s 116-99 win at the FTX Arena a stay of execution? Or are the Celtics about to embark on one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history?
We’ll soon get a better idea. And with a home match to come next, Boston has a great chance to make the series 3-2, and really put the pressure back on the Heat. In the betting to win the series, the best NBA playoffs betting sites don’t see this series as a done deal, that’s for sure.
After the win for the Celtics in match four, the Heat are -280 to win the series, the Celtics are +235. Those odds aren’t screaming, it’s a job done for Miami.
So where does this now leave us in the overall betting to win the NBA Championships? Well, it’s no major surprise to see that the Denver Nuggets are the betting favorites. Michael Malone’s team have just swept the Lakers four nil to win the Western Conference, and as a result, the Nuggets are now just -225 to win their first ever NBA Championship.
The Lakers never put the Nuggets under any pressure. The 4-0 series win was completed when the Nuggets won 113-111 at the Crypto.com Arena on Monday night. At the end of the 2nd quarter, the Lakers led that match 73-58. Then a storming 3rd quarter from the Nuggets saw them score 36 points to the Lakers’ 16, and that was enough to close the deal.
This gave the Nuggets their first ever Western Conference title. Would the pressure of winning their first title have possibly got to them if the Lakers had pushed them close? Who knows. The truth is, the Lakers never got near them.
Following the Nuggets in the betting to win the NBA Championship is the Miami Heat at +375. The Boston Celtics are last at +450. The Celtics were +700 prior to their win in Miami on Tuesday night.
In the betting to win match five of the series, the best NBA betting sites are heavily favoring the Celtics to win and make the series 2-3. On the moneyline, Boston is -300, with the Miami Heat at +250.
On the handicap spread, the Celtics are giving the Heat an 8.5 points start, with both sides at -110. While on the total points market, the spread is set at 215.5 points. Again, both sides of the bet are priced up at -110.
More betting odds on the match can be found below on our odds table. These odds are taken from some of the top betting sites for basketball. You can read more about these sites on our online sportsbook reviews page.
| Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Betting |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | -300 | -300 | -300 |
| Miami Heat | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Celtics (-8.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Heat (+8.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Up until match five, the Celtics simply hadn’t been good enough in this series. Defeats of 123-116 (home), 105-111 (home), and 128-102 (away) were poor showings from the team who had previously led the betting for the majority of the season.
The 128-102 loss in Denver was especially poor. But it’s testament to what a good side the Celtics are, that they managed to bounce back from that.
But where does this leave us now? The top NBA betting sites are giving the Heat 8.5 points on the handicap spread, and they have the Celtics as heavy odds on favorites on the moneyline too.
No bet really jumps out here. If the same Celtics that showed up on Tuesday, show up again in Boston on Thursday, it’s an easy call to make. But will they? That is the question.
For us, we think if the Celtics win, they will win well. The 3rd quarter was the crucial period in the fourth match for Boston. This is where they won the game. And this is where they established the lead that covered the spread, ensuring they won with plenty to spare.
The Celtics will know this could be the crucial stage of match five as well, and we also believe that the 38-23 win for Boston in that period of the fourth match, may well have gotten into the heads of the Heat players.
Therefore we are going to back the Celtics to win and cover the spread. They were on their A game on Tuesday, and we think they will bring it again for this match. And it will be too much for Miami to handle.
About the Author
Dean is primarily a fan of English football who regularly attends games, and combining his hobby with his job, he is now a full-time sports betting writer. Rather than going down the educational route into sports journalism, Dean learned his trade by writing for his English football betting website since 2009, where he now boasts nearly 15 years of experience. After writing about football daily for years, Dean has taken the skills he learned and now uses them to great effect writing for numerous affiliate sites across the internet. A general all-around sports enthusiast with a passion for English football and cricket, Dean is also well able to turn his hand to writing about golf, tennis, F1, boxing, snooker, darts, and North American sports. Combining his extensive knowledge and experience with British humor and wit, Dean has developed into a trusted voice within the sports betting industry.
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