The Boston Celtics will host the Miami Heat for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference playoff matchup on Wednesday. The Celtics enter the playoffs as the first seed in the East with the no. 8 seed Heat scrapping through via the play-in.
Boston finished the regular season with an NBA-best 64-18 record to cruise into the playoffs. Joseph Mazzulla’s side have been exceptional at home losing just four games all season at the TD Garden arena. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have averaged 115.9 points per game over that stretch.
The Heat entered the pay in tournament as the overall eighth seed and after a hard-fought defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers, worked their way past the Chicago Bulls the earn the final spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. They are coming off a 46-36 regular season and are 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Make a bet on this exciting matchup! Head over to BetMGM
Breakdown: Miami Heat Look To Upset Jayson Tatum and Boston Celtics at TD Garden
| Miami Heat | Boston Celtics |
| Record: 47-38 (including playoffs) | Record: 65-18 (including playoffs) |
| O/U Record: 36-49 | O/U Record: 43-39-1 |
| Spread Record: 40-41-2 | Spread Record: 42-36-5 |
| Injuries: Terry Rozier (Doubtful), Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson | Injuries: Luke Kornet |
| Key Players to Watch: Bam Adebayo (19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists per game) Tyler Herro (20.8 points, 4.5 assist per game) | Key Players to Watch: Jayson Tatum (26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists per game) |
Miami Heat Versus Boston Celtics Preview
Date: April 24
Time: 7 PM EST
Location: TD Garden, Boston
The Miami Heat will have to figure out a way to stop MVP candidate Jayson Tatum if they have any chance of leveling the series before returning to Miami. The fact that they are without six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler (right knee injury) makes Wednesday’s encounter a real uphill climb.
Tatum has been extraordinary for the Boston Celtics this season averaging nearly 27 points and over 8 rebounds per game. The Celtics are one of the deeper lineups in the NBA with Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis both averaging over 20 points per game this season. Derrick White is averaging 15.2 points per game and Jrue Holiday is averaging 12.5 and both can contribute if required.
With Butler out for his third consecutive game, the Heat will turn to Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to step up on the offensive front. Adebayo was the team’s leading scorer in game one with 24 points. Herro struggled to get going, finishing the night with just 11 points, significantly lower than his 20.8 regular season average.
The Celtics have faced the Heat four times this season and won all four four of those games. Boston won 119-111 in the fist regular season game in the Garden but then demolished the Heat 33 points in January in Florida. The teams met again on February 11 with the Celtics edging a tightly-contested game 110-106.
The Heat are 25-19 away from home this season and the Celtics have a 38-4 record at home.
Our Picks: Dominant Boston Celtics Overcome Miami Heat To Take 2-0 Series Lead
Spread: Boston Celtics (-14.5)
O/U: 203.5
Pick 1: Miami (+14.5)
The Celtics are the clear favorites entering Wednesday’s game but 14.5 points is a lot to give up in any playoff matchup. Even without Jimmy Butler, the Heat limited the damage in Game 1 evetntually losing by only 10 points. Miami has only lost one game by more than 14 points in their last 13 games.
Pick 2: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Over 14.5 points)
If the Heat have any chance of upset the Celtics in what feels like a must-win game, Jaquez Jr. will have to step up. The 23-year-old rookie has only averaged 11.9 points during the regular season but will likely see more of the ball with Jimmy Butler on the sidelines.
