This article originally appeared on FanDuel.
A spot in the NBA Finals is up for grabs. Get set for a Miami vs. Boston playoff throwdown with the latest betting odds and predictions from FanDuel.
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics both made it through their second-round NBA Playoffs series, setting up an exciting Eastern Conference Finals matchup. The Celtics won two of their three regular season meetings against the Heat, making it all the more interesting to see just how this series plays out.
Ahead of Tuesday’s Game 1, let’s check out the latest Cetlics vs. Heat odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and make some predictions for this series.
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Celtics vs. Heat Odds
NBA Playoff odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have the Celtics as -175 favorites to win the series, while the Heat are +145 underdogs.
The odds point to the Celtics winning the series 4-2 as the most likely outcome at +290 odds.
Heat vs. Celtics Schedule
Below is the full official schedule for the Celtics vs Heat Eastern Conference Second Round NBA Playoff series.
Game 1: Tuesday, May 17 @ Miami (8:30 p.m ET, ESPN)
Game 2: Thursday, May 19 @ Miami (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 3: Saturday, May 21 @ Boston (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 4: Monday, May 23 @ Boston (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Game 5 if necessary: Wednesday, May 25 @ Miami (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 6 if necessary: Friday, May 27 @ Boston (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Game 7 if necessary: Sunday, May 29 @ Miami (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Celtics vs Heat Predictions
Predictions for the Celtics vs. Heat series are via FiveThirtyEight.
The Celtics are projected for a 70% chance to make the NBA Finals and a 47% chance to win the NBA championship, while the Heat are projected for a 30% chance to make the NBA Finals and a 16% chance to win the NBA championship.
Although the Heat finished first in the conference, the Celtics looked like the best team in the NBA during the second half of the regular season. Even when the two teams faced off, both of Boston’s wins were by double-digit totals, whereas Miami’s was an eight-point differential. The Celtics have more momentum on their side after knocking off the defending champions and I think their roster is overall deeper than the Heat’s. It should be a close series, but look for the Celtics to advance in six.
Prediction: Celtics win in six games (+290)
Kyle Lowry Injury Update
A lingering hamstring injury has prevented Kyle Lowry from playing his best this postseason, forcing him to miss six of the last eight games.
Lowry missed each of the Heat’s final two games in Round 2 and is in danger of missing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Head coach Erik Spoelstra revealed that Lowry didn’t participate in Sunday’s practice, leaving his Game 1 status up in the air.
Lowry was a key contributor during the Toronto Raptors‘ Finals run in 2019 and the Heat will need to get him back in the lineup as soon as possible if they want similar success.
Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
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