Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Picks, Odds, and Predictions
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are both off to 1-0 starts during the first week of the regular season; somebody's O has got to go!
In a rematch of the last two Eastern Conference Finals', we get the first look at these teams facing off against one another. With a retooled Boston squad, this should be one of the more fascinating match-ups in Friday night's slate of games.
The Boston Celtics are -8 point favorites, per DraftKings Sportsbook, with -340 odds on the moneyline. Miami has +270 odds to pull the upset. The scoring total is set at 217.5.
Heat vs. Celtics Predictions
Prediction
Both Miami and Boston have won their initial games within single digits, each game coming down to the final possessions.
Headed into this game, I'd feel fairly confident about the Celtics on paper given their talent; they stand above the Heat with respect to how much top flight talent they have. But, this Boston team is still in the early throes of integrating new pieces.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, Boston's two new starters, combined for 42 points in Boston's win over New York. Jrue has taken on somewhat of Marcus Smart's role, while Porzingis has been a new type of player entirely for the Celtics.
He changed their play style to a degree with his spacing, his ability as a lob threat, and his defensive presence as a rim protector.
How will Miami look to put him in different spaces on either end to make him uncomfortable?
This is a key first matchup in testing some of Porzingis' perceived weaknesses. Can the Heat bog down Boston in the halfcourt and prevent some of their transition opportunities?
It will be worth watching how Miami tries to get the most out of their bench, with their depth in game one looking quite real and able to be utilized across multiple schemes. If Miami is able to get the ball into the paint and find a sliver of ball movement, their three point shooting could be game-changing in this match-up and the series with the Celtics at large.
Score Prediction: Boston 107 Miami 102
Players to Watch
Kyle Lowry had an overall solid game against Detroit, but took just one shot in just shy of 32 played minutes. Miami needs more from Lowry with respect to aggression moving forward and that will be worth watching, particularly against a strong defensive team like Boston.
If he isn't able to force the defense to care about his presence, Miami could really struggle to generate easy offense. Defensively, how he holds up against multiple match-ups in Miami's switch heavy scheme will be paramount.
Derrick White will be instrumental in this game in denying off-ball actions for the Heat. He's one of the best screen navigators and off-ball chasers in the game, proving vital in Boston's path to the Finals over Miami two seasons ago. Bringing his defensive dynamism along with offensive aggression as a starter is essential.
How to Watch
The Celtics will host the Heat at TD Garden in Boston at 7:30 pm EST on Friday, October 27th. You can watch the game live on ESPN.
