The Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat are having a weird series that could pass up as an episode of the Twilight Zone. With the series tied, the two Eastern Conference finalists will each look to score a pivotal win in Game 5 this Thursday to move a step closer to the NBA finals.
Catch this game live on Thursday, May 26, at 8:30 AM, Manila time.
Away: Boston Celtics (2–2/1-1 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Marcus Smart (questionable)
- SG: Jaylen Brown
- SF: Jayson Tatum
- PF: Grant Williams
- C: Robert Williams
The Celtics avoided what would have been a disastrous loss, as they took down Miami in Game 4 to tie the series up with a 102-82 victory. That Boston victory ensured that the Celtics would see another game at TD Garden and gave the team enough momentum to ride on to South Beach this Thursday. Hopefully for the Celtics, Jayson Tatum will build on his excellent bounce-back performance in Game 4. Tatum scored 31 points on 8/16 shooting from the field and did plenty of damage from the foul line. Speaking of which, Boston’s approach to aggressively challenge the Heat’s defense paid off big time, as the Celtics went 32/38 from the free-throw line, which compensated for their horrible outside shooting (8/34).
Marcus Smart missed Game 4 with a right ankle injury, but the Celtics depth made sure they would survive his absence, with Derrick White, in particular, stepping up. White posted 13 points , 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in 41 minutes as a starter. It’s also a great sight for Boston fans to see Al Horford and Robert Williams III both healthy. Williams’ return after missing Game 3 played a significant role in silencing Bam Adebayo and the rest of Miami, which is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
Home: Miami Heat (2-2/1-1 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Kyle Lowry
- SG: Max Strus
- SF: Jimmy Butler
- PF: PJ Tucker
- C: Bam Adebayo
There’s no way but up for the Heat after the massacre they suffered at the hands of Boston Tuesday morning. No Heat starter scored more than 9 points. Victor Oladipo and his surgically-repaired knee had more points coming off the bench than all Miami starters, as the former Indiana Hoosiers star provided 23 points on 7/16 shooting. The Heat were doomed as early as the first period where Boston outscored them by 18 points and did not look back since.
Hopefully for the Heat, a return to home floor would be the cure to their current malaise. They are also hoping that Tyler Herro will be available to play after he missed Game 4 with a groin issue. Herro’s absence in Tuesday’s contest paved the way for playing time for Duncan Robinson, who scored 14 points and hit 4 threes. Those 3-points might not have moved the needle much for the Heat in that loss, but Robinson must have gotten a nice kick out of seeing his shots fall after being overlooked for quite a long stretch. The Heat head back to South Beach with a 6-4 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread: The Celtics cover (-1.5).
Over/Under: The Over (203) hits.
