The Boston Celtics still believe that they can come back in the series after finally scoring a win in Game 4. Will the Celtics pull off another victory? Or, will the Miami Heat snuff Boston’s hopes and end join the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals with a win?

Catch this game live on Friday, May 26, at 8:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Miami Heat (3-1)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Gabe Vincent
  • SG: Max Strus
  • SF: Jimmy Butler
  • PF: Caleb Martin
  • C: Bam Adebayo

The Heat forgot to bring their brooms in Game 4, as they suffered a 116-99 home loss to the Heat. Nevertheless, there’s no reason for Miami to sound the alarm. The Heat are still up in the series 3-1 and even though they will be the road team in Game 5, they have embarrassed the Celtics at TD Garden twice already in this series. Back in Game 1, the Heat clobbered Boston, 123-116, before exposing the Celtics again in Game 2, 111-105.

There’s even a case to be made that Heat backers would rather bet on Miami when it’s in Boston, as Jimmy Butler and company have covered the spread in five of their last six games at TD Garden. That’s not to mention the fact that the Heat have yet to lose back-to-back games since the start of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. You would have to go all the way back to March to find the last time the Heat lost in consecutive outings.

Home: Boston Celtics (1-3)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Marcus Smart
  • PG: Derrick White
  • SF: Jaylen Brown
  • PF: Jayson Tatum
  • C: Robert Williams III

Celtics fans woke went to bed Wednesday and woke up Thursday with the Celtics still in contention for the NBA title. Having felt what it’s like to win again, the Celtics will look to further cut down the series lead of Miami. Boston might also continue to get help from the gods of regression. There’s a chance that the bubble of the Heat’s incredible shooting in the playoffs has finally popped after Miami shot just 43.6 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from behind the arc in Game 4. 

After knocking down 51.9 percent of their attempts from the field and an unsustainable 47.8 percent of their shots from the 3-point region from Games 1 to 3, could it be that the Heat’s offensive is on the decline? Conversely, after shooting so poorly from deep in the first three games of the series, the Celtics went 18/25 from downtown last Wednesday. They could be the ones on the rise now on the offensive end of the floor. 

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Celtics (-8) win.

Over/Under: The total (215.5) hits the Over.