A potential closeout game between the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics and the No. 8 seed Miami Heat takes place on Wednesday. The Celtics own a 3-1 lead in this 2024 NBA playoffs series after they notched a 102-88 win over Miami in Game 4. Every game of this series has been decided by double-digits, and major injuries are affecting both teams. Jimmy Butler (knee), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) and Terry Rozier (neck) are all out for Miami. Boston will be without Kristaps Porzingis (calf).
Tipoff at TD Garden in Boston is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The latest Celtics vs. Heat odds via SportsLine consensus list Boston as the 14-point favorite. The over/under is 200.5, down from opening at 203.5. Before making any Heat vs. Celtics picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the third week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 92-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,600. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Heat and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Heat vs. Celtics:
- Celtics vs. Heat spread: Boston -14
- Celtics vs. Heat over/under: 200.5 points
- Celtics vs. Heat money line: Boston -1111, Miami +668
- BOS: The Celtics are 11-3 ATS this season when spread is between -12.5 and -15.5
- MIA: The Heat are 26-15-3 ATS on the road this season
- Celtics vs. Heat picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
Guard Derrick White can go off in any matchup as he has good ball handles to get past defenders to pass or score. His jumper from beyond the arc is money, and he's putting up 21.8 points, 3.5 assists, and shooting a team-high 47% from 3-point land this postseason. In Game 4, White dropped a career-high 38 points with three assists, three blocks and eight made 3-pointers.
Guard Jrue Holiday is a great veteran playmaker on both ends of the floor. He brings championship experience, has a high-level IQ and is a lockdown defender who has good vision as a facilitator. In the series, he's averaging 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists while leading the team in steals (1.5). Holiday had 11 points, six rebounds, and six assists in Game 4. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Heat can cover
Center Bam Adebayo has been Miami's top player this series and impacts the game in multiple areas. The Kentucky product has the ability to power through defenders in the lane but can hit mid-range jumpers. Adebayo also dominates the game defensively. He averages team-highs in points (22.5) and rebounds (10.5). In his last outing, Adebayo finished with 25 points, 17 boards and five assists.
Guard Tyler Herro is a space creator for this offense. Herro has a sweet jumper and uses his solid court vision to be a sound playmaker. The 24-year-old logs 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and six assists per game. In the Game 4 loss, Herro totaled 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. He's scored 19-plus points in two of his last four matchups. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Heat vs. Celtics picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 213 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.
So who wins Celtics vs. Heat, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Heat vs. Celtics spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 92-61 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
