The No. 2 seed Boston Celtics host the No. 1 seed Miami Heat Monday for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) and Miami leads the series 2-1. Below, we look at the Heat vs. Celtics odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
Miami took control of the series by blitzing Boston to open Game 3 Saturday, outscoring the Celtics by 21 points in the 1st quarter and holding on for a 109-103 victory. The Heat won the turnover battle, too, 23-8.
The Celtics lost despite outperforming the Heat in three of the “four factors,” outshooting Miami from everywhere on the floor and with Heat SF Jimmy Butler missing the entire 2nd half with a knee injury.
Heat C Bam Adebayo feasted on the Celtics frontcourt without second-team All-Defense C Robert Williams III. Adebayo scored a team-high 31 points on 68.2% shooting with 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals.
Also see: Bet Slippin’ Podcast: Miami Heat, Boston Celtics Game 4
Heat at Celtics odds and lines
- Money line (ML): Heat +250 (bet $100 to win $250) | Celtics -320 (bet $320 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Heat +6.5 (-105) | Celtics -6.5 (-120)
- Over/Under: 206.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
Heat at Celtics key injuries
Heat
- SF Jimmy Butler (knee) questionable
- SG Tyler Herro (groin) out
- PG Kyle Lowry (hamstring) questionable
- SG Max Strus (hamstring) questionable
- PF P.J. Tucker (knee) questionable
- PG Gabe Vincent (hamstring) questionable
Celtics
- PG Marcus Smart (ankle) questionable
- SF Jayson Tatum (shoulder) probable
- C Robert Williams III (knee) questionable
Heat at Celtics picks and predictions
Prediction
Celtics 103, Heat 99
Money line
PASS because there’s no way anyone should take the Heat (+250) until the final injury report is released.
Boston should even this series up before these teams head back to Miami for Game 5 but the Celtics (-320) are a terrible long-term return on investment at that price.