Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Game 4: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First round

The Boston Celtics got back to the driving seat in the series and are favorites to win another one when they visit the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on Monday.

Is this the season for the Celtics?

The Boston Celtics were by far the best team in the league in the regular season and they look ready to win the first championship since 2008. As usual, the Heat proved to be a tough opponent for them but the Celtics regrouped after the Game 2 home loss. They were absolutely dominant in the last game winning 104-84 in a game in which they led by as many as 29 points. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points and the Celtics shot 47.6% from the field.

Can the Heat keep up with the C’s?

The Miami Heat came into this series out of the play-in tournament, and they lost Jimmy Butler in that process. No one really gave them a chance against the Celtics, but somehow they won Game 2 in Boston. However, things did not start well in Game 3, as the Heat scored only 12 points in the opening quarter. They never regrouped and had already lost the game in the first half. Bam Adebayo led the team with 20 points, followed by Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro, who both scored 15.

Betting Trends

Miami has covered the spread in 10 of the last 15 games against Boston. The Heat are 5-10 ATS in the last 15 home games and 12-5 ATS in the last 17 games played in April. The Celtics have won 15 off the last 20 games on the road.

Prediction and Conclusion

The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the league this season, and the Game 2 loss against the Heat was just a reminder that they need to play hard in every single game. They responded well, taking off from the very start of Game 3 and never looking back. The Celtics play team basketball, and they can win even on a bad night. The Heat were without two of their starters, Jimmy Butler and former Celtic Terry Rozier. They simply have no chance against the Celtics unless they put up 23 three-pointers, like in Game 2, but we all know that such performances do not come often. The Celtics will have another dominant performance and win by covering the -10.5-point spread.