The Boston Celtics are 2-0 vs. the Miami Heat this season, and on the verge of a regular season series sweep.

Catch the game tomorrow at 3:00 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Boston Celtics (40-12, 15-9 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

• Jrue Holiday
• Derrick White
• Jaylen Brown
• Jayson Tatum
• Kristaps Porzingis (day-to-day)

The Celtics have won three in a row and are 8-2 on their last 10 games. They are averaging 121.9 points per game and only giving up 112.9 points over that span. Additionally, the regular season series with the Heat is at 2-0 – they won 119-111 last October 28th, and again last January 26th, 143-110, which was part of the aforementioned stretch. The latter game featured seven Celtics scoring in double figures.

Kristaps Porzingis (20.2 PPG) has recently entered the 20-plus PPG plateau, joining Jayson Tatum (27.0 PPG) and Jaylen Brown (22.1 PPG), and also making Boston one of the few NBA teams to have three players notching 20 or more PPG.

But, of course, offense is just half of it. The finely tuned group is seventh in points allowed per game (111.1) and third in defensive rating. They’ve flexed those abilities all season long, and Miami has been a big victim just recently.

HOME: Miami Heat (28-24, 15-12 HOME)

Projected starting five:

• Terry Rozier
• Tyler Herro
• Jimmy Butler (day-to-day) / Jaime Jaquez Jr.
• Caleb Martin
• Bam Adebayo

After going through a rough seven-game skid to close out January, the Heat are now on a 4-1 stretch. They are putting up 111.4 PPG with a +9.4 net rating in February.

While tomorrow’s the dreaded ‘Superbowl Sunday’ schedule, we ought to see a Heat team that’s eager to avoid a regular season series sweep, and that should start on their main man: Jimmy Butler. The 34-year-old is only averaging 15.5 PPG on a mediocre 45.5% clip in two games vs. the Celtics, far from his top scoring partners. Bam Adebayo (23.0 PPG) and Tyler Herro (23.5 PPG) are both hovering around their season averages in the season series.

Speaking of improving, though, Terry Rozier is off to a terrible start. He came in with 23.3 PPG at the time of the trade, but is only at 12.6 PPG on a dreadful 35.7% shooting in nine Heat games. He has taken minutes and opportunities off of rookie sensation Jaime Jaquez Jr. too, who only has 7.6 PPG on 35.8 FG% over his last seven games. 

PREDICTIONS:

Handicap: The Celtics (-6) don’t cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total goes under 226.5